Confession: I hate broccoli. I hate the smell. The taste. Everything. When I was a kid my parents wouldn’t let me leave the dinner table until I ate at least one bite of it, which lead to more than one night of me sitting stubbornly at the table, alone, for what seemed like an eternity.

After years of despising the stuff, I finally mustered up the courage to try this strange, exotic food called broccoli. And not only do I no longer hate it, I love it! Maybe it’s my new adult taste buds or recently ignited interest in healthy eating, but I can’t get enough of the stuff.

Broccoli is extremely low in calories–for all you models in the making out there–and it is packed with healthy nutrients. If you can stand the inevitable gas issue, you’ll be getting vitamin C, vitamin A, fiber, calcium, and folic acid, just to name a few.

Still being new to broccoli fan club, I have only perfected one recipe thus far. Here goes…

In a pan, I sauted olive oil and garlic. Then I put in bit-sized pieces of broccoli and a couple of tablespoons of soy or tamari sauce. I covered it with a lid and let it steam in the pan on medium. When the broccoli was cooked through, I drizzled sesame oil on top (a little goes a long way) and served it on a bed of brown rice. Finally, I topped the dish with freshly toasted sesame seesds.

There it is. Couldn’t be easier. Maybe next time I’ll tackle cauliflower…