What is most interesting to me about cooking and food, is it’s role as a common thread to connect us. Food is something that we all experience on a daily basis (at least I hope so), we can all connect over this need to eat for sustenance and also the collective memories we have created over this nourishment, on our own or together. Food knows no boundaries, it sees no limits. We all need to eat. Where you go with your choices for food and your personal approach to eating, that’s up to you. But we can all bond over the nourishment, the community and the beautiful moments and memories food can elicit, too.

When I created this website way back nearly 6 years ago, simply a hobby at the time, I had hoped to create a space where you, the readers, would always feel encouraged and inspired to get into the kitchen. Too often I find that cooking and recipes can become elitest and overcomplicated, so much so that it becomes less accessible to people with for-real busy lives and in some cases it can actually intimidate people from ever stepping into the kitchen first place. Then it’s back to the fast foods, the take out, the packaged foods and the meals of convenience. This idea is absolutely devastating, soul-crushing and heart-breaking, to me.

I always want to elicit excitement around cooking and creating in the kitchen. Some days I feel like this is my true life’s mission. There is so much joy that can come from constructing beautiful, nourishing meals, made with love. That said, I also think about cooking the way I do about most other things in my life: Less is more, keep it simple, don’t overcomplicate things and focus on what you love. These simple ideas have never failed me in life and they have also never failed me in the kitchen, either.

Cooking doesn’t have to be complicated and while we can always draw inspiration from the most simple foods we grew up on, there will always be room to evolve, learn more and hopefully improve these recipes and these foods, to make them even better.

This particular recipe is a simple one. We’ve all had broccoli, likely you grew up on it, as I did and while in my opinion it’s always delicious – roasting it really brings out the best flavor in this nutrient-dense green veggie. This Spicy Garlic Roasted Broccoli is a recipe I make several times a week, every single week. I usually make it in batches to have on hand for a easy side for various meals throughout the busy work week. It’s simple and without fuss, precisely what I look for in a recipe.

Speaking of improving upon, since I discovered Thrive’s Algae Oil late last year, I have made this my go-to cooking oil for most roasting. It’s wonderful in high heat and it’s a great source of monounsaturated fat, ringing in at about 90% monounsaturated fat. This is the fat found often in our diets by way of avocados, some nuts and also in a lesser amount in olive oil, but typically it’s the fat most lacking in the standard American diet. Our bodies can easily burn monounsaturated fats for energy and they also help the body absorb fat-soluble nutrients from other foods. Broccoli just so happens to be very abundant in Vitamin K, which is a fat soluble vitamin, so this right here is a match made in heaven. Garlicky, spicy and full of deep roasted flavor, this is the best way to make broccoli. For ultimate in garlicky goodness, I find holding off and adding half of the fresh garlic towards the end of roasting, brings a multi-level flavors from the garlic. Some roasted, some a bit fresher.

Thrive Algae Oil is sustainably sourced, with a neutral, light taste and high smoke point (485ºF) it’s not only great for roasting and high heat cooking, like frying, searing or sautéing, but it’s also great in salad dressings and baking, too.

[print_this]Spicy Garlic Roasted Broccoli {gluten-free, vegan & paleo-friendly}
serves 4 to 6

• 1 1/2 lbs broccoli crowns, cut into florets
• 1 tablespoon coconut aminos (or gluten-free tamari or soy sauce)
• 3 tablespoons Thrive Algae Oil (or melted ghee)
• large pinch dried red pepper flakes (more or less to your liking)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced and divided in half
• sea salt and black pepper, to taste
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced, for serving

Note: I like to let the broccoli marinate but this step isn’t at all necessary. I usually let it marinate for at least 30 minutes but I have marinated upwards of 8 hours, as well.

If not marinating, preheat oven to 425ºF. In a small bowl whisk together the coconut aminos (or tamari) with the algae oil, the red pepper flakes and half of the minced garlic. Once well mixed, pour over the broccoli in a bowl, container or bag. Mix well to evenly coat all the broccoli and then let sit at least 30 minutes, if you’d like. You can also prep this in the morning just before work, place in the fridge and then roast when you get home.

Once ready to roast, preheat oven to 425ºF (if it isn’t already). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the broccoli from the bowl or bag and shake off any excess liquid. Arrange in a single layer on the lined baking sheet.

Roast for 10 minutes, remove from the oven, sprinkle with the additional remained minced garlic, give it a toss and roast another 5-8 minutes until cooked through, fork tender and just every so slightly browned, some blackened bits, are great, too.

Salt and pepper to taste, top with thinly sliced scallions, serve immediately.

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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Thrive Algae Oil.  All content, ideas and words are my own. Thanks for supporting the sponsors that allow me to create new and special content like this for Tasty Yummies.