Broccoli Honeycrisp Slaw

Broccoli Honeycrisp Slaw ~ tender shredded broccoli stalks, impossibly crisp apples, sweet currants, and toasted almonds all combine with a creamy cider dressing to make one heck of a deliciously unexpected (and healthy!) summer salad. 

There’s so much to love about this unique salad it’s hard to know where to start ~ first and foremost there’s the whole idea of shredding the tender (yes tender!) stalks of broccoli to make a crunchy slaw.  It’s genius.  Then there’s the thing about paring that with finely julienned Honeycrisp apple, (the hot new variety that literally explodes its juice when you take a bite.)  This is a must make salad that got raves from my taste testers.  It’s a personal favorite of mine, and I know I’ve been claiming that a lot lately, but, what can I say?  I’m on a roll these days ;)

You can ‘slaw’ all kinds of things, from kale, to Brussels sprouts, to Vidalia onions, with great results!

Some food bloggers I know have knack for getting recipes made well in advance, some even do multiple recipes in a day.  I must be a part of the slow food movement because I cannot do more than one recipe a day.  It takes everything out of me to conceive of the recipe, gather/shop for the ingredients (they have to be the freshest of the fresh for the camera) cook the food, style and photograph the food, then edit the photos, and write up the post.  Oh, and and of course I forgot to mention cleaning up after myself. Freudian slip.

One of the benefits to taking my time and focusing on one recipe a day is that I can really appreciate the finer points of the dish.  I like to take a bowl/slice/taste of whatever I’ve made right over to my computer and nibble on it as I write up my posts.  That immediacy is important to me, and to the way I share the food I make.  

Right now the Honeycrisp is bursting sweet juice, followed by the deep flavor of the toasty nuts, which prompts me to say, please don’t leave either of them out, take the time to find the Honeycrisp in the produce section (they’re there) and please be sure to toast your almonds.  The effect is so perfect.

The ingredient list for this salad is short, but impactful, so I recommend having the whole short list on hand when you try it for the first time.  You’ll end up with an unusual salad that’s not only delicious, but super healthy.  If you’ve got any salad haters in the family, try this out on them!

Grocery list for this broccoli Honeycrisp slaw ~

• about 4 stalks of broccoli (heads and stalks) look for nice long, fresh, stalks
• 2 Honeycrisp apples
• dried currants
• slivered almonds
• Pantry staples: mayonnaise, cider vinegar, celery seed, onion salt, lemon juice.

You can buy pre-made broccoli slaw in the supermarket, but I recommend making it yourself; bagged veggies, especially when shredded, are sub-par.  All those exposed surfaces dry out and lose nutrients.  But if you’re pressed for time, by all means go for it :)

A great surprise ~ This broccoli slaw kept especially well in the fridge overnight, no sogginess, and the leftovers the next night were just as good.  

There was no excess moisture in the bowl, which was a great surprise.  Many slaws ‘weep’ and get boggy at the bottom of the bowl as they sit, but this one didn’t have that issue.   The broccoli stems stayed nice and crisp, and so did the apples.

Are broccoli stalks healthy?

You probably already know that broccoli is good for you, but what about those stems that you usually toss in the trash, are they even edible?  They’re not only edible, they’re surprisingly tender, delicious, and full of good stuff.

• Broccoli stems are healthy, and, ounce for ounce, the florets and stalks contain equal amounts of broccoli’s famously healthy nutrients.

• Broccoli stalks have the edge over florets in the fiber department, too.

How to shred broccoli stalks

• Remove the florets, or green flower buds, from the top of the broccoli.  
• Use a vegetable peeler to remove any rough parts on the stalks.
• Grate the stalks using a box grater, mandoline, or food processor fitted with the shredding attachment.  I prefer the food processor method, this is the one I recommend.  The processor does a quick, even job.

Make this Broccoli Honeycrisp Slaw your own ~

• Add some crisp bacon.
• Add some sharp cheddar cheese, Tillamook makes a Farmhouse Shredded cheese that would be perfect, or shred your own.  
• How about add both of the above?? Yum.
• Golden raisins can sub for the currants.
• Sunflower seeds can stand in for the almonds, although you won’t get that amazing toasted nut flavor.
• You could use another type of apple, but why?  Granny Smith would be too tart.  Golden Delicious too bland.  Macintosh not firm enough.  SweeTango or another sweet crisp apple would work.  

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