Since I started this little blog three months ago, I’ve felt pretty good about the nutritional value of the recipes I’ve put together here. Lots of veggies, whole grains, etc. Of course, until yesterday, I never really bothered to calculate any nutritional information. I came across the Calorie Counter Database, which analyzes recipes and gives you all the nutritional stats, and plugged in a few of my recipes. The results weren’t all that bad – the vitamins, fiber and protein was all there – but the calorie contents were higher than I’d like them to be.
One of the main culprits was olive oil. I love my olive oil. I use it constantly. Sure, it has definite health benefits, but if you’re like me and would like to drop a few pounds, using it excessively isn’t going to do you any favors. Don’t get me wrong; there’s no way I’m cutting olive oil out of my diet, nor to I plan to obsess over calories. But I am going to try to be more conscious of how much I use and cut out a few tablespoons here and there when I can.
I had all this in mind when I created this Broccoli, Tomato and Feta Salad. It’s not fat- or calorie-free, but it’s within the range of what I’d consider acceptable. Before, I might have added twice as much olive oil and probably more cheese, but it turned out fine with smaller amounts and let me eat it with confidence.
Here’s the recipe:
- 2 bunches broccoli, chopped (about 6 cups)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- 2 tablespoons kalamata olives, chopped
- 3 tablespoons feta cheese, crumbled
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
Blanch broccoli in boiling water for about 60 seconds. Strain and run under cold water. (You could plunge it into an ice bath instead, but why dirty another bowl?) Mix together broccoli, tomatoes, pine nuts and olives. In another small bowl, combine olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Pour dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Top with crumbled feta. Serves 4.
Enjoy.
From the box: broccoli, cherry tomatoes
Nutritional information, per serving: 165 Calories; 12.2g Fat; 2.3g Saturated Fat; 6mg Cholesterol; 742mg Sodium; 11.8g Carbohydrates; 4.3g Dietary Fiber; 5.7g Protein
