Broccoli And Cheese Sauce

Broccoli and cheese sauce is always a hit. You can substitute the broccoli for cauliflower. It is a great side dish and comfort food that pairs well with meatloaf, homemade burgers, pork chops, ham and oven roasted barbeque chicken pieces.

Broccoli is a nutrient powerhouse, with a 1/2 cup providing your daily need for vitamins C and K as well as significant amounts of Vitamin A and at least 18 other vitamins and minerals. The benefits of broccoli include: antioxidant abilities, anti-inflammatory properties, and unique cell detoxification abilities. Studies have shown broccoli to decrease cholesterol, inhibit the overgrowth of Helicobacter pylori (bad bacterium) in the stomach and aid in cancer prevention.

A 1/2 cup serving of broccoli has only 22 calories and is the daily required amount for optimized health. If you decide to serve cooked broccoli it is best steamed or cooked for less than 5 minutes to retain the maximum number of nutritional benefits.

Using aged cheddar gives the sauce more cheese flavor than a mild or medium cheese. Cheese is high in vitamin A, vitamin B12 and calcium. Calcium is important for strong bones. Cheese also contains vitamin K, which helps prevent the calcium from building up in our arteries.

Consuming egg yolks with broccoli, significantly increases the absorption of the nutrients in the broccoli. Egg yolks, helps to increase good cholesterol. Egg yolks contain all the fat-soluble vitamins, A, D, E and K2, as well as the important Vitamin B12 and folate. Egg yolks also contain choline, which is essential for the brain and cognitive functions. The egg yolk and cornstarch are what thicken the sauce.

Broccoli and Cheese Sauce

8 cups broccoli florets

1 can evaporated milk

3 egg yolks

2 tablespoons cornstarch

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

3/4 cup water

1 1/2 cups grated old cheddar cheese

Cook the broccoli in a inch and a half of water on the bottom of the pot to partially steam the broccoli. In a heavy bottomed pot, combine the milk, egg yolks, cornstarch, salt and pepper. Cook until thick, stirring constantly. As the sauce thickens, add the water 1/4 cup at a time until thick. If you end up with a few lumps, you can use an immersion blender for 20 seconds. Stir in the grated cheese, and pour the sauce over the drained broccoli. This recipe makes a nice amount of cheese sauce, and you could increase the amount of broccoli to 10 cups.