Thanks to Earthbound Farm and Le Creuset for teaming up with me for this healthy dinner and special giveaway!
“Mom, what is broccolette?” My daughter asked me this when she heard me talking about making it for dinner. She’s a little leery of vegetables that are new. Most kids are, aren’t they? Actually, sometimes grown-ups are, too. We all need a little convincing to eat something new. When I explained that broccolette was like broccoli only more tender and taller, she seemed agreeable.
Earthbound Farm Broccolette really is tastier and more tender than broccoli. It’s actually a cross between broccoli and Chinese kale. Its flavor resembles asparagus – although the ends of the broccolette aren’t chewy like the ends of asparagus can be – when using the entire stalk.
Earthbound Farm Broccolette is also different from regular broccoli because it’s organic and grown by one of my favorite brands. Earthbound Farm’s standards for being kind to the earth, their employees, and the consumer are second to none. Just look for their purple tag like I do!
Remember when I visited Earthbound Farm last year? All of the bloggers present held a bunch of Earthbound Farm Broccolette – and pretended we were holding bouquets of flowers! They’re like bouquets – but rather than flowers, healthy and edible. Well, I guess some flowers are edible but not the entire bouquet.
For this recipe, you can use every part of the broccolette – stems, leaves, and tops. There’s no waste and nothing to discard or compost. Treat the broccolette stems like onions and chop them up and sauté with onions. They’ll end up just right – not mushy like I used to do when my cooking skills involved steaming vegetables to death! The broccolette is left with a nice amount of bite.
While we’re not vegetarians, I do try to make plenty of meat-free, vegetable, and plant-based meals. How do I trick my family? How do I get my meat loving family to devour a vegetarian dinner that leaves them saying, “Wow, that was really good. Is there any more?” The answer, my friends, is mushrooms. Mushrooms are my secret ingredient that act like meat. Here’s the trick: don’t slice them – chop them up nice and small so they blend in – and act like meat. Sliced mushrooms can be too obvious. Chopped up, no one notices them.
This recipe is vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free. Yes, it’s true, anyone can it eat!
[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:9]
Now, onto the pan. When Le Creuset wanted to know which of their pans I’d like to cook a recipe with, I chose this one. With tall sides and lidded, it’s not like any pans that I own already. We usually cook everything in cast iron – which I absolutely love – so I wasn’t sure how this pan would compare.
This pan retains the heat as well as a cast iron pan and because it holds the heat so well, you can cook at a lower temperature. Everything in this recipe was cooked on medium to low. No need for getting the pan to “smoking hot” with this one. Since cooking this meal, we’ve used the pan to make spaghetti sauce, tomato soup, and mashed potatoes. It’s surprising how much it holds – and the entire thing can go directly into the oven. It’s also easy to clean up – find out how we clean pots and pans at our house – plus, it’s so shiny!
Le Creuset is giving away one of these 3.5 Quart Saucier Pans with lid to one lucky Go Gingham reader! To enter, all you need to do is leave a comment below and tell me what’s the first vegetable you’ll cook in this pan!
Details, details, details….
The contest has ended but you can still make the recipe.
By leaving a comment below to enter, you agree to the Official Rules:
There is no purchase necessary, this is void where prohibited and you must be over the age of 18.This contest is open to U.S. residents only – sorry international readersThe contest starts today and ends December 17, 2014 at 1:00pm PSTThe retail value of the pan is $250.00The winner will be chosen by random number generator. Each comment listed below has a unique number.You may enter 5 times – with one comment by answering the question below and by sharing this on social media. If you share it on Facebook, Google+, Twitter or Instagram, you must leave a comment below telling me that you did so. In other words, if you share it on all of those channels, that’s great and thank you, but to track your numbered comment below, you must add a comment telling me that you did it.The prize is being delivered directly to the winner from Le Creuset. If you haven’t received the prize within three weeks of winning, please let me know.
Want to increase your chances of winning some of this gorgeous cookware? Head over to Earthbound Farm’s Facebook Page – beginning today through December 17, 2014, they’re giving away lots of Le Creuset prizes, Earthbound Farm cookbooks and coupons for Earthbound Farm product! You could win…
- The grand prize: 5 Piece Stainless Steel Set – $550 + cookbook library + product coupons
- Second Place: 3 QT Saute Pan – $200 + cookbook library + product coupons
- Third Place: 2 QT Sauce Pan – $160 + cookbook library + product coupons
Good luck! Here’s your question to answer below…
What’s the first vegetable you’ll cook in this pan?
Go Gingham related links:
Why I cook with dried beans – complete with money saving chart!
Very easy and tasty white bean dip
Vegetarian chili made with dried beans – of course!
Corn and black bean salad – made with dried beans
Spicy hummus – yes, spicy and made from dried beans!
Thank you to Earthbound Farm and Le Creuset for helping me share this post and giveaway. Thank you for supporting brands that help support Go Gingham. As if there were any question, all opinions are my own.
I would cook mushrooms.
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Kale, chopped, and red cabbage…. a bit of apple cider vinegar, a pinch of coconut sugar– sauté till tender. EAT!!
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I would saute onions, a touch of garlic, then fresh petite tomatoes to make a delicious pasta sauce
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What’s the first thing I’d cook in the pan? That’s difficult to say. I got my set of LeCrueset when I was 18, and still use them today, and we all know that I’m almost as old as dirt! If I were to win this pan, I might make a really nice, rich beef stew, or a pot of chili. Would make a nice addition to my collection.
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I think the first vegetable I would cook is mushrooms. I would probably add a roast and potatoes, carrots and onions though, is that ok? 🙂
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Where to begin. Saute veggies would be a good start. The list is endless
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I forgot to say which veggie. I love carrots with honey.
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Brussel sprouts in butter and olive oil with garlic. Although I would be interested in the carrots in honey recipe above.
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I can’t enter the contest because I’m in Canada (which is too bad, because that’s a beautiful pan!), but I have to chime in anyway! Although we’re mostly vegetarian (and except for my nine year-old, very open to experimenting with new foods), I’d never heard of using mushrooms as a way to mimic meat! (Portobello mushrooms as a burger, yes, but not regular mushrooms…). Thanks for the tip, and for the recipe – it’s on my plan-to-make list!
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Hmmm, I would probably start with the onions and garlic that are the start of one of my favorite recipes — broccoli and tofu in peanut sauce. While not everyone in our family loves this dish, all those over 18 do!
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I would saute up some garlic, onions, mushrooms, and sun dried tomatoes in olive oil, add wine, then whipping cream, and toss in some cooked pasta. (Of course I’d have to find a recipe first – ha ha.)
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Actually broccoli is my favorite so that’s what it would be!
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Thank you for the vegan recipe, Sara! I will make this soon. The first vegetable that comes to mind for me to cook in the pan is broccoli. I love it so!
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Snow Peas!
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It would probably depend on the season and what bounty is awaiting us in the garden! In the winter, I would probably do some sort of stew, starting with onions and garlic and adding whatever veggies need to be used up because they are getting soft …
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stewed tomatoes!
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I would love to cook a delicious beef vegetable soup!
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mushrooms.
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Probably green beans as that is the one veggie the whole family will eat.
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Swiss chard from my garden. 🙂
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The first vegetable I will cook in that pan is potatoes. I can do amazing things with potatoes.
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I posted on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tammigirl/posts/10152929877653792
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https://plus.google.com/+TammiVelez/posts/T2fK2cLiBH9
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I like to sauté squash and onions.
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I would cook potatoes!
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I’m a huge fan of bok choy, so somehow that will be in the mix.
Thanks for a generous giveaway!
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I would probably sauté potatoes and onions. Thanks for the opportunity to enter the giveaway.
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One of my favorite, versatile veggies, potatoes!!!
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Onions and tomatoes! Yum!
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What a hard question – there are so many good choices. I would probably try my super easy broccoli soup but use broccolette instead to try it out. Swiss chard would be another option cooked like Brazilians cook “covy” to accompany feijoada (Brazilian black beans)
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Green beans with ham.
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Def would be yellow squash
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Sautee cabbages
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ZuchIni WiTh SundrIEd toMatoes
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I will cook tofu and spinach in a garlic and lemon butter sauce.
Hannah
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Mixed stir fry. Cabbage, onions, carrots, red peppers, garlic and fresh ginger.
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Looks like a good chili pot to me, so I would cook celery and onions in it first.
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how about jambalya? not a veggie – but sounds yummy!
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The first vegetable I would cook, really more of a fruit, are tomatoes for a wonderful sauce.
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Since I’ve always steamed broccoli (like you mentioned you used to do), I’d start with bro!
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I would cook brussels sprouts with olive oil, onions, and bacon.
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My G+ share – https://plus.google.com/u/0/106220850995391731255/posts/Xxe4Eiw9MG3
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I pinned here – http://www.pinterest.com/pin/225461525070895812/
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My FB share – https://www.facebook.com/rusthawk/posts/769565723091982
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I tweeted – https://twitter.com/rusthawk/status/543174423939796992
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I would cook spinach, tomatoes, lots of garlic in some olive oil and then top with feta cheese.
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I would love to make an asparagus dish. I’ve been on a white asparagus kick lately.
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Mmmmm! Sweet potato latkes!
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Brussels sprouts sautéed with onions and garlic, finished off with smoked salt.
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I’d saute onions and make something delicious!
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