A few years ago, I was fortunate enough to meet Dr. Michael Greger, MD, at a conference here in St. Louis. I had read his book, “How Not to Die,” and was delighted to hear him speak. One of the biggest takeaways was learning about a sulfur-rich compound called sulforaphane. Found in certain cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage, sulforaphane is a powerful antioxidant that cancels out free radicals in the body and protects your DNA.
It has also been shown to reduce certain toxins, reduce inflammation, and provide protection from cancer, specifically breast cancer stem cells. It also protects against blood vessel damage in people with diabetes and lowers the levels of fat found in our blood.
The thing about sulforaphane is that it must be developed before being eaten. The easiest way to do that is to cut up your broccoli and let it sit for at least a half-hour before eating.
Chopping and exposing broccoli to the air allows it to activate the enzyme to promote sulforaphane. And if you’re not used to getting a lot of fiber in your diet, cutting up the broccoli and cauliflower makes it a bit easier to digest!
This dish is best served cold. It can easily be made the day before and it holds up quite well! It would also be a perfect dish for your Memorial Day weekend! As always tag me and let me know how you liked it!
XO,
Steph
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Tarragon Chickpea Salad with Riced Broccoli and Cauliflower
- Prep Time: 30
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
Rich in antioxidants, fiber, and flavor, this salad is a delicious way to get all of your nutrients and would be the perfect item to bring to a summer gathering!
Ingredients
Ingredients
Salad:
- 12 ounces small broccoli florets (about 5 cups)
- 6 ounces cauliflower florets
- 2 (14 oz.) cans chickpeas, drained & rinsed
- 1/2 cup soaked cashews, drained or rinsed (or boiled for 10 minutes and rinsed) See Note
- 1 large yellow bell pepper, diced
- 1 large tomato, seeded and diced
- 1 zucchini, diced
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 ripe avocado, diced
- 3 tablespoons hemp seeds
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
- 3 large fresh tarragon leaves, minced
- 1/2 cup cilantro, minced
Dressing
- 1 ripe avocado, seeded and chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon
- 1/2 zucchini, diced
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
- 1/2 tsp dried tarragon (optional, but recommended)
- 1 tsp salt and pepper
Instructions
Dressing:
- Make the dressing first and refrigerate.
- Soak cashews overnight or boil for 10 minutes to soften. Drain and rinse.
- Add all ingredients, including cashews, to a blender and mix well. If the dressing is too thick, you can add about 2 tablespoons of water at a time until it thins to your preference. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed.
Salad:
- Divide broccoli in half, and pulse each half until broccoli resembles small rice grains. Note – you do not want to pulse it all at once because you risk turning some of your broccoli into a paste.
- Repeat with cauliflower.
- In a large mixing bowl, add broccoli, cauliflower, and tarragon. Mix well. Add remaining ingredients and stir well. Add dressing, mixing well—taste for seasoning. Adjust if necessary.
This dish is best served cold. The dressing or the entire salad can easily be made the day before. Don’t worry about the vegetables softening. It holds up quite nicely!
Notes
Cashews need to be softened. You can either soak them overnight or boil them on the stovetop for about 10 minutes or until cashews float to the top of the water.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
