Broccoli

For years I've enjoyed this stalky vegetable steamed on a plate, stir-fried in a wok, pureed into soup, stuffed into a pie or plunged raw into a bowl of dip. I wouldn't say I LOVED broccoli. It was always good, but not my knock-down absolute favorite vegetable. No, that place was always reserved for the artichoke. That is until I discovered roasted broccoli.

Roasted broccoli. Yes, roasted. Roasted as in a large pan, drizzled with olive oil and salt and cooked in a 400 degree oven for 35-45 minutes, roasted. Think potato, but different: tender, muted green, succulent. I've been on a roasted broccoli kick for about six months now. Every week I buy at least two pounds of broccoli for the sole purpose of roasting it. Mainly we eat it as a side dish, but a few weeks ago I created my new favorite lunch, which I will graciously share with you now:

1 whole wheat tortilla, slightly warmed
1 cup roasted broccoli, preferably cold from the frig
1/4 avocado, sliced
5 green olives, sliced
A slice of sharp cheddar or goat cheese
A squirt of fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper

Place the tortilla on a large plate. Arrange broccoli, avocado, olives, and cheese on top of the tortilla. Squirt a little lemon juice on top, and finish off with salt and pepper. Roll up and place on a plate next to a handful of those good, fried in olive oil potato chips. Then make yourself sit down (this is the hardest part for me!) in a serene place and eat this sandwich (ok, ok, it's a wrap, but it's not one of those icky, flavorless, often gooey-to-the-tooth tortilla wraps you'll find in the refrigerated section of Whole Foods). I hope you will enjoy this lively, savory, salty, fatty, good for you creation as much as I do.