<\/p>\n

If you’re looking for the perfect potluck or barbecue friendly salad, this is it. It’s crisp, crunchy and absolutely the best broccoli salad ever!<\/p>\n

The inspiration for making this salad came after eating a broccoli salad at Bob’s Red Mill Whole Grain Store in Oregon. That salad was so delicious, that I saved the ingredient label so I could hopefully replicate it at home. The ingredients were broccoli, celery, vegenaise, red onion, sunflower seeds, raisins, cane sugar, and red wine vinegar. Sounds easy, huh?<\/p>\n

So we duplicated the salad using the same ingredients, but adding allergy-friendly shredded cheddar cheese. Wow!<\/p>\n

If you know someone who doesn’t like broccoli, have them try this salad. It’s a winner!<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

In the recipe we use raw broccoli.<\/p>\n

“Goitrogenic” Fear<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cruciferous vegetables, including broccoli, cauliflower, kale, and cabbage, have gotten a bad rap lately. The hype is that these cruciferous wonders contain so-called goitrogens that are harmful to the thyroid.<\/p>\n

Having Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis and hearing that cruciferous vegetables are goitrogenic in their raw state, created a recent panic where for awhile I only ate cooked cruciferous vegetables. I learned that cooking deactivates the glucosinolates, thus diminishing the goitrogenic activity.<\/p>\n

Who Do You Believe?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Like so many foods, I constantly heard conflicting stories about these vegetables. Frustrated, I set out to learn all I could.<\/p>\n

I found multiple studies and research revealing that none of these foods contain enough goitrogens to be a health concern. Secondly, the goitrogens present in these foods are bonded to phytochemicals and amino acids that stop the goitrogens from doing harm.<\/p>\n

Even if you ate 100 pounds of raw broccoli in a day, which is impossible, the goitrogens still wouldn’t be a problem for your health. I found this in\u00a0Thyroid Healing<\/em>, by Anthony William.<\/p>\n

Broccoli contains some of the nutrients that our thyroids need most.<\/p>\n

So if you’re like me with Hashimoto’s or other thyroid issues, try not to pay this goitrogenic food fad any mind!<\/p>\n

However, if you just don’t care for raw broccoli, we urge you to try it in this salad. Besides, it doesn’t taste completely raw, since it marinates in the dressing.<\/p>\n

Okay, if your thyroid is compromised, I truly do understand any hesitation about eating raw cruciferous veggies!<\/p>\n

Or, if you really, really, and truly don’t like it raw, go ahead and blanch or steam the broccoli. To blanch,\u00a0bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add the broccoli and blanch until crisp tender, about 2 minutes. Drain well and transfer to an ice bath to stop the cooking process. You can also steam the broccoli in a steamer basket for about 2 minutes, immediately shocking in ice water.<\/p>\n

mise en place<\/p><\/div>\n

Making this salad is a snap when you have your mise en place or all of your ingredients prepared and ready to go before assembling.<\/p>\n

Let’s go!<\/p>\n

Chop broccoli into bite size florets. In a large bowl, combine the broccoli with raisins, sunflower seeds, celery, onion, and cheese.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Allergy-friendly vegan mayonnaise is whisked together with cane sugar and red wine vinegar and then poured over the broccoli mixture and tossed to coat evenly.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The best part of this salad? Besides the health benefits of broccoli, it’s hard to believe that it’s even better the next day.<\/p>\n