Name: Roasted Broccoli Salad with Hard-Boiled Eggs
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Ingredients: ROASTED BROCCOLI:; 1 head of broccoli (chopped); 2 Tbsp avocado oil; 1/8 tsp salt; 1/8 tsp pepper; 1/4 tsp garlic powder; SALAD:; 2 cups baby arugula; 2 cups Cruciferous Crunch (shredded Brussels sprouts, kale & cabbage); 1/4 cup red onion (diced); 1/2 cup slivered almonds; 4 eggs (large); DRESSING:; 2 Tbsp avocado-oil mayonnaise; 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard; 1 tsp apple cider vinegar; 1/8 tsp salt; 1/8 tsp pepper; 1/4 tsp garlic powder; 1/4 cup olive oil; 1-2 Tbsp water (optional)

Say hello to my very favorite salad as of late! A lot of unexpected combinations going on in here. But the type of unexpected things that just…work. So, what goes in my very favorite roasted broccoli salad?

roasted broccoli salad with almonds, arugula, and hard boiled egg

roasted broccoli salad deets:

Roasted broccoli where the edges get all browned and crispy
Crunchy almond slivers
Hard-boiled eggs that are juuust set (no over-cooked yolks here)
A blend of shredded cruciferous veggies and arugula
A tangy, creamy, mustardy dressing to wrap it all up

What do you think? Sold yet? I think the best part is that you can have LEFTOVER SALAD from this. Yes, you can mix it all up and put all the dressing on it and it will still be good tomorrow! And the next day! And not just semi-good. It will still be a delicious, not-soggy, roasted broccoli salad. So sold.

I used the Cruciferous Crunch bagged mix from Trader Joe’s because it is much easier than shredding kale, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage myself, but feel free to do that if you are so inclined. I like mixing the crunchy slaw with some arugula just for some different flavor and texture.

If you want a tutorial on how I hard-boil eggs, check out this post here. I will note that I cooked the eggs for 10 minutes rather than 11 in this recipe, just to make sure the yolks didn’t get overcooked. A little bit of creaminess in the yolks is what you want.

roasted broccoli salad with arugula, almonds, and hard boiled eggs

let’s talk pasture-raised eggs

Okay, so I have been a big fan of pasture-raised eggs for a while now. Not pasteurized eggs, but pasture-raised. They are becoming easier and easier to find in stores – my Trader Joe’s even sells them now for $3.99!

Pasture-raised eggs mean that the chickens live on pastures, not in cages or cramped barns. The chickens get to do what they are supposed to do: graze about the pasture all day, peck up little worms and bugs, and nibble on grass. Chickens are actually omnivores, and aren’t designed to eat the soy- and corn-filled feed that is given to them in conventional farms.

This omnivorous diet with bugs and worms and grass means that the chickens make healthier eggs, too! The chickens are exposed to many more vitamins and minerals with this varied diet, which translates to healthier eggs. You may notice a dark yellow or orange yolk in pasture-raised eggs. This deep color comes from extra beta-carotene, which is a precursor to vitamin A and is a good sign of a healthy egg.

The grass these chickens eat helps their eggs to become richer in omega-3 fatty acids. Lastly, because the chickens are romping around in the sunshine for most of the day, pasture-raised eggs have higher levels of vitamin D! How cool is that!

Another benefit to pasture-raised eggs is that it is a much more humane way to raise chickens for eggs. Pasture-raised is how chickens would be living and eating if you kept them in your backyard (hi, Mom’s chickens!). Conventional farming, even “cage-free” or “free range”, is not as good as it sounds. If you see pasture-raised eggs in stores, pay the extra few bucks for them to ensure your eggs are the most nutritious, and to ensure that the chickens they came from were happy and healthy.

back to the recipe…

Okay, now that I’m off of my pasture-raised eggs soapbox, let’s get to the roasted broccoli salad recipe!