Brocamole for the win!

Contributed by Food for health editors


Brocamole for the win!

If you’re looking for some easy, crowd-pleasing snacks for the big game this weekend, we’ve got some winning ideas for you.

Brocamole (adapted from Nigella Lawson’s Brocamole recipe in Simply Nigella) is a quick and delicious snack that can be served as a dip with fresh vegetables or with baked whole-grain pita or tortilla chips. (See note below for quick baked chips.) This recipe is a great one to make ahead.

Unlike traditional guacamole, brocamole can be refrigerated overnight without turning brown. For additional yummy game day snack ideas, try these Food For Health favorites:

Servings: 4 to 6

Ingredients

  • 1 head of broccoli
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 ripe avocado
  • 2 scallions, trimmed and roughly chopped
  • 1 bunch cilantro (leaves and tender stems)
  • 1 fresh chili (jalapeño or serrano, or another favorite fresh chili), roughly chopped
  • Juice of 1 to 2 limes
  • Sea salt to taste

Note: If you want less heat, remove the seeds from the peppers before chopping.

Directions

  1. Trim broccoli florets (save the stems for another recipe or for stock) and cook them in a pot of boiling water for about three minutes, until bright green and just starting to get tender. There should still be some bite to them. 
  2. Drain immediately and transfer to cold water to stop the cooking. Once cool, drain and transfer to a food processor. 
  3. Start with 1 tablespoon of each oil and process, adding additional oil as needed to form a thick puree. 
  4. Halve the avocado and remove the pit. Spoon the flesh into the food processor, along with the scallions, chili, and most of the cilantro. 
  5. Add the juice of one lime and puree again. Taste and add additional lime juice, if needed, and salt to taste. 
  6. Serve in a bowl and garnish with the remaining cilantro leaves. 

Note: To bake your own chips, cut the pita or tortilla into triangles. If you have kitchen shears, they are a great tool for this! Pocket pita works well, but then you also need to split the pita triangles so they are not double thick.

Arrange triangles in a single layer on a baking sheet and spray or brush (sparingly) with olive oil. Add your favorite spice (basil, oregano, cumin, paprika — or a combination) and bake at 375 for 6 to 10 minutes.

Check frequently after 6 minutes. Chips are done when they are crisp and lightly browned.

Nutrition information (per serving)

  • Calories: 150
  • Total fat: 12 g
  • Saturated fat: 15 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg
  • Sodium: 135 mg
  • Total carbohydrate: 11 g
  • Dietary fiber: 5 g
  • Total sugars: 3 g
  • Protein: 4 g

Note: Nutrition calculation is for 6 servings and includes 1/4 teaspoons salt.