Broccoli is a very nutritious vegetable. It is rich in beta-carotene, the famous anti-oxidant and the precursor of vitamin A in the body. It is also rich in Vitamin B2 and Vitamin C.
Broccoli is a sulfur-containing vegetable, along with many other members of the crucifer family (like Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, mustard greens, radishes and turnips), it is well known for its detoxification and cancer-protective actions.

Still, Broccoli has a bad reputation especially among children. I think the problem lays within its cooking methods. Broccoli needs minimal cooking time, it has to stay crunchy and fresh otherwise it becomes mushy and loses lots of its flavor along with its nutritional value.
Here are some of my favorite broccoli recipes, I hope you enjoy them.

Greek-style Broccoli:
I first got this recipe from a Rhodesian cooking book I bought during my honeymoon . I modified it and changed it a bit over time.
You’re going to need:
· 1 large onion cut in thin circles
· 1 large tomato diced into small cubes
· ½ kilo of broccoli cleaned and cut into bite-size florets
· Salt, pepper, mixed spices
· 1-2 tablespoons olive oil

Fry the onions in some olive oil on low heat till welted. Add the tomato. Add salt, pepper and mixed spices to taste.When the sauce from tomato is absorbed, add the broccoli florets and stir fry for 2 minutes on high heat.
Serve immediately with white rice.

Broccoli with Talliatelle or spaghetti:
Ingredients:
· 1 packet of talliatelle/ spaghetti or any other macaroni type of your choice.
· ½ kilo broccoli cleaned and cut into bite-size florets
· ½ cup of each: Green peas and carrots dices into small cubes
· 2 tablespoons olive oil
· For the white sauce: 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour, 1-1 ½ cup milk, 2 tablespoons olive oil
· Salt, pepper
· Grated Parmesan and/or cheddar cheese (optional)


-Boil the macaroni till aldente, drain well
-Stir fry the peas and carrots in olive oil for 5 minutes then add the broccoli and continue stir frying on high heat for another 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. And mix with the macaroni.
-prepare the white sauce by stirring the flour in olive oil, add salt and pepper, then add the milk and mix well. When it starts to bubble, add the cheddar cheese and stir just for it to start melting.
-serve the pasta topped with the sauce and garnish with some grated parmesan cheese.

Stir fried broccoli with veal:
Ingredients:
· ½ kilo veal cut into fine strips for stir fry.
· Veal marinade: Shredded onion, mustard, ginger powder, soy sauce, salt and pepper.
· ½ kilo broccoli cleaned and cut into bite-size florets
· 1 of each: green, red and yellow bell pepper cut into bite-size squares.
· 1 large carrot cut into thin circles.
· 1 tablespoon corn flour dispersed in 1 cup of water.
· 2 tablespoons olive oil.


-Marinate the veal for 1-2 hours (if you are in a hurry it’s okay to proceed immediately). Then, stir fry it in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Reduce heat till it is done.
-Remove the meat from the pan. Add the other spoon of oil and stir fry the vegetables for 2 minutes. Season to taste.

-Add the meat back to the pan and add the corn flour dissoved in water. Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, mustard and heat through till it starts to bubble.
-Serve immediately with white rice or noodles.

Variations:
-You can use chicken or shrimp instead of the veal.
-You can add mushroom to the recipe. Fry them for 2 minutes in olive oil before adding the vegetables.
-You can also add cashew nuts by stir frying them with the vegetables.



Stir fried broccoli and vegetables:
Ingredients:
· ½ kilo broccoli cleaned and cut into bite-size florets
· 1 of each: green, red and yellow bell pepper cut into bite-size squares.
· 1 large carrot cut into thin circles.
· 2 courgettes (zucchini) cut into thin circles
· A handful of baby corn
· ½ cup snow peas
· 2 tablespoons olive oil.
· Salt pepper, ginger, mustard

- stir fry the vegetables for 2 minutes. Season to taste.
-Serve immediately with white rice or noodles.

Broccoli with béchamel:
Ingredients:
· ½ kilo broccoli cleaned and cut into bite-size florets
· 1 large carrot cut into thin circles.
· 2 tablespoons olive oil.
· For the béchamel: 2 heaped tablespoons whole wheat flour, 2 cups of milk, salt pepper, 2 eggs (optional).
· ½ cup cheddar and/or mozzarella cheese


- stir fry the vegetables for 2 minutes. Season to taste.
-prepare the béchamel by stirring the flour in olive oil, add the milk, season and whisk well till bubbling. Add the eggs one at a time whisking vigorously after each addition.
-arrange the broccoli and carrots in an oven dish. Sprinkle with cheese. Top with the béchamel.
-Bake in a hot oven for 15-20 minutes.



Broccoli chicken curry:
Ingredients:
· ½ kilo chicken breast skinned and deboned and cut into strips.
· 1 cup mushroom cut thinnely
· chicken marinade: Shredded onion, mustard, ginger powder, curry, salt and pepper.
· ½ kilo broccoli cleaned and cut into bite-size florets
· 2 tablespoons olive oil.
· For the sauce: 2 heaped tablespoons whole wheat flour,1 cup of milk, 1 cup chicken soup, salt, pepper, curry powder, a touch of turmeric (curcumin).


-Marinate the chiken for 1-2 hours (if you are in a hurry it’s okay to proceed immediately).
-Stir fry the mushroom in 1 table spoon olive oil. Add the chicken. Cover. Reduce heat till done.
-Remove from the pan into an oven dish.
- Add the other spoon of oil to the pan and stir fry the broccoli for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Mix with the chicken.
-prepare the sauce by stirring the flour in olive oil, add the milk and the soup , season and whisk well till bubbling. It should be of watery consistency.
-Add the sauce to the oven dish and bake for 15-20 minutes.
-Serve with white rice or noodles.

I can’t remember how many times I surfed Art shops buying expensive art supplies and stocking them in my already busy drawers and tool boxes. When I decide to actually paint, I open my tool box, gaze at my endless materials and think: “No… these are too precious, I’ll save them for a more serious project.” And, guess what! This ‘more serious project’ never comes. My paints, glue cans, and mediums wait in their safe storage until they dry and flake, until they turn from precious to useless waiting for the ‘perfect moment’ that never came, and may be never will.

How many times did you waste a chance waiting for a better one, for the perfect moment, the perfect guy, the perfect job… like the poor fisherman throwing away the big fishes he catches as he only has a tiny frying pan at home. The big fishes just won’t fit!!!

The most important lesson I learnt from my art classes at the faculty of Fine Art back home is to be bold, to take risks.
 Your life is your canvas. You could paint it any way you wish. If you choose dull, monotonous colors just to ‘be on the safe side’, you will end up with a boring lifeless picture. “What if I mess up? What if I used the wrong colors?” I used to ask. “Just add a fresh new layer,” my professor calmly answered. Accidental mistakes in art, like in life, are lucky strokes. They teach us and force us out of our comfort zone. “There is no right or wrong,” I was taught, “these are not mistakes, they are opportunities,” my professor added.

So, when drawing on your canvas of life, be Creative, Be Bold, Just DO IT!!!