For the Food on Fridays carnival, any post remotely related to food is welcome—though we love to try new dishes, your post doesn’t have to be a recipe. We’re pretty relaxed over here, and stories and photos are as welcome as menus and recipes. When your Food on Fridays contribution is ready, just grab the button to include with your post. It ties us together visually. Then fill in the boxes of this linky tool to join the fun!
Food on Fridays with Ann
The other day I was craving a broccoli salad that I’ve tasted at pitch-ins and cookouts. The original recipe includes onions, which I cannot digest; bacon, which I’m not currently eating; and sunflower seeds, which I ran out of.
In the past, when I felt insecure about straying from a recipe, I would have skipped the salad altogether and made something else for fear of messing things up. But I’m starting to recognize the kinds of things that can be tweaked without ruining the dish. I felt pretty safe messing around with a salad.
I substituted almond slivers for sunflower seeds, and completely left out the onion and bacon. The result? A simple yet tasty flavor combination.
Here is what I used:
- One head of broccoli broken into small florets
- 1/4 or 1/3 cup raisins (recipe suggested golden raisins, but I only had regular)
- 1/3 cup almond slices (I think almond slivers would have been better, because they are thicker)
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise (more or less, depending on how much you like on this kind of salad)
- 1/4 cup sugar (or a little less)
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar (I used apple cider)
Make a dressing by mixing up the mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar. Chill in fridge for a couple of hours if you have time (I didn’t, and it was fine). If you haven’t already, break or cut up the broccoli into small, bite-sized florets. Mix the broccoli pieces with raisins and almonds, then stir in the dressing.
This salad is forgiving and flexible–you can double the ingredients to make a bigger salad or adjust the amount of dressing so that it is more or less “wet”. You could substitute the sunflower seeds in place of the almonds, or mix a little of both. Though I haven’t tried it, I think adding some Craisins or dried cranberries could be interesting.
My husband loved my tweaked version and ate two giant servings. I told him what the original recipe called for, and he shook his head and said, “Don’t change a thing! This is great!”
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Photos by Ann Kroeker. “Pin” these images in a way that links back to this particular page, giving proper credit.
Smaller button for various uses
I like your ‘tweaked’ version of the broccoli salad as well – it looks delicious! This week I’ve shared a delicious pumpkin cake. Thank you for hosting, and have a lovely weekend!
Pumpkin cake–it’s that time of year, isn’t it, to be thinking about fall! Have a wonderful weekend, April!
Ann,
I love the broccoli and raisins idea. Thanks for hosting and have a great week. I shared a gluten free quiche
I love your gluten-free quiche! I’ll have to figure out how to make it dairy-free, too. It’s fine to use alternate milk, but then there’s the cheese thing. I guess tofu might sub for cream cheese?
This is one of my families all time favorite summer salads. I feel for you not being able to handle the onions. Can’t imagine what I’d do!! Can you eat them if they’re sauteed rather than raw? This is my first time posting at your food carnival. Thanks for sharing.
Lisa
I loved this salad in its original form, then discovered the issue with the onions and have had to give them up. The only way I can tolerate them is if they are used in small quantities and cooked so much that they are incorporated fully into the new thing, like spaghetti sauce, for example.
I’m so glad you’re here, Lisa! Welcome!
My daughter makes this salad, and I am glad to have your recipe. It is such a nice way to serve fresh broccoli. For my husband I would add some slivered red onions, otherwise sounds great.
The red onions would taste great, for sure. I can’t eat them anymore, though, so I have to be satisfied with simpler combinations.
Your button disappeared on my site margin, just a red X in the top corner. Can you place a code under your small fruit bowl so I can try again.
But oh how I love bacon! 🙂
Bacon definitely transforms this salad! Adding that salty in with the other ingredients adds another layer of flavor.
I often tweak recipes if I don’t have all the ingredients, or something might be too expensive for our budget.
My stepfather is allergic to onions, but not garlic. When he comes for parties, we either remove onions from recipes or make a version without the onions.
Barb, I can tell you that you are blessing your stepfather by making that extra effort! I would have to actually pass on that dish if it was loaded with onions…it’s that bad. Like your stepfather, I can, thank heavens, eat garlic. This helps a lot to add flavor to so many things.
Thanks for taking time to comment!