Peeps, I am fully aware that the last few recipes on this blog have been of the vegan baked good variety. What can I say? I love a good muffin...and a good stud muffin. But I digress.

I also love my veggies. And I'm happy to share with you one of my favorite ways to serve up that king of the cruciferous, broccoli. Though this recipe is one of my faves, I'd nearly forgotten it, until last week when I had to whip up something to bring with me to a queer vegan potluck. Ooh, this did the trick. And all the queers rejoiced.

You can of course find this recipe in my cookbook, but I'm giving you all-access pass right here and right now to my Moroccan Broccoli, perfect for the summertime, bursting with flavor, and darned if isn't decadent—even for a veggie side dish!

Moroccan Broccoli

Yields 4 servings

Oh, broccoli naysayers, beware! This dish will get you to call off all bets. You won’t be able to resist the rich dressing, the exotic spice blend, or the avalanche of cranberries and peanuts that will carry your taste buds away to Morocco, where swarthy guys with bronzed pectorals are spooning this creamy concoction into your mouth. Seriously now, how can you decline an invitation to be transported and spoon-fed?

4 cups broccoli, cut into small florets
¾ cup silken tofu
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
¾ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
⅛ teaspoon ground cumin
⅛ teaspoon ground paprika
⅛ teaspoon ground turmeric
⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅓ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup unsalted roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Beam me up, Morocco! Steam the broccoli just until bright green and still crisp, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, transfer to a medium serving bowl, and chill.

To prepare the dressing, combine the tofu, oil, lemon juice, salt, ginger, cumin, paprika, turmeric, and cinnamon in a food processor. Process for several minutes until smooth, stopping as needed to scrape down the work bowl with a rubber spatula.

To assemble the salad, combine the chilled broccoli with the dressing. Stir in the cranberries and peanuts and chill until you are ready to be transported to Morocco. Bring on the bronzed pectorals!

Per serving: 169 calories, 7 g protein, 8 g fat (1 g sat), 20 g carbohydrates, 457 mg sodium, 62 mg calcium, 4 g fiber