Walnuts with Feta and Broccoli Side Dish Recipe

What can we say about this Walnuts with Feta and Broccoli Side Dish Recipe, aside from being easy to make and super delicious? Well, we can also add that this dish is also very versatile. As the recipe implies, It works wonderfully as a side dish. But, if you add just a little bit more oil and toss with pasta, it becomes a scrumptious main course as well. No matter how you choose to eat it, this flavor combination is one we simply love.

Steamed Broccoli

Anyone who has tried to cook broccoli in a frying pan knows how long it takes to get it to the perfect texture. Stir-frying or pan cooking is much quicker when the broccoli is softened beforehand. When preparing this recipe, we suggest steaming the broccoli before adding it to the heated pan of walnuts. Steaming will allow the broccoli to cook just right. Make sure that the broccoli is not overly soft. For this recipe, you want the broccoli to have some bite and the ability to stand up to a bit of frying.

Broccoli Benefits

We are big fans of broccoli, no matter the benefits of eating it. However, we are lucky that we enjoy the flavor so much and get to reap its benefits all at the same time.

When it comes to the benefits of broccoli, as per Medical News Today, ” Broccoli is a rich source of vitamin, minerals, and antioxidants can help prevent the development of various conditions.” They go on to say that broccoli’s “dietary fiber can help promote regularity, prevent constipation, maintain a healthy digestive tract, and lower the risk of colon cancer.”

Moreover, as per WebMd “On top of all the vitamins and minerals it contains, broccoli is chock full of many natural chemicals that scientists are still learning about. Chief among these is a sulfur compound called sulforaphane, which may help with certain health conditions. These include Diabetes. Studies show that sulforaphane may help lower your blood sugar.”

It’s good to know that something so tasty is also good for us.

Protein in Walnuts

Time and time again, people ask, after learning we are vegetarians, how we get our protein. Contrary to popular belief, protein lurks in more places than just meat. Just take a look at the walnut. About seven walnuts equal about an ounce and contains about four grams of protein. Yet another reason to love the walnut.

What is Feta Cheese

Feta cheese is a firm cheese that has a salty and tangy flavor. It crumbles easily and is somewhat creamy. Generally, most are aged from a couple of months to a year. While feta cheese generally comes from Greece, there are some manufacturers from other regions producing it as well.

Many kinds of cheese, including feta, can be made with animal rennet. Since we are vegetarians, we look for feta made from microbial rennet which is derived from fungus, mold, or yeast. Cheeses made from vegetable rennet are also acceptable for us.

We also look for cheeses that are rBST free. RBST or rBGH are hormones injected into cows to increase milk production

For our Vegan friends, there is a Vegan Feta Cheese available from a company called Violife Foods. Click the link if you want to know more about their products. https://violifefoods.com/us/our-products/. As per their website, their feta is made from Filtered Water, Coconut Oil, Potato Starch, Salt (Sea Salt), Glucono Delta Lactone, Flavor (vegan sources), Olive Extract, and Vitamin B12.

Now on to the recipe!

Walnuts with Feta and Broccoli Side Dish Recipe Ingredients

• Broccoli – One Head
• Walnuts – Shelled, One Cup
• Olive Oil – One Tablespoon
• Italian Seasoning – ¼ Teaspoon Dried Spice
• Feta Cheese – ¼ Cup Crumbles

Prepare Our Vegetarian Recipe

1. Start by preparing the ingredients before cooking.
2. For this step, wash the broccoli.
3. Now, remove the florets from the stems since we will only be using the florets for this recipe. It is fine to leave a small amount of stem.
4. Next, cut the florets into thirds. If they happen to be large, then cut the florets into quarters instead and set aside.
5. Steam the broccoli until it has slightly softened.
6. While the broccoli steams, measure out one cup of shelled walnuts. With your hands, break each piece of walnut pieces in half. Also set aside.
7. Now measure out one quarter cup feta cheese.
8. Take any large crumbles and hand crumble those to make them smaller.
9. Once the broccoli is steamed to a slightly softened stage, remove from stovetop
10. Now, heat the one tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan on medium heat.
11. Once the oil is heated, add the shelled and broken walnuts. Continue cooking until the walnuts begin to get hot. If you wait until the walnuts are heated through, they may burn as you continue cooking.
    

    Heat the Walnuts

12. Once the walnuts begin to heat, add the steamed broccoli to the pan. Now stir as needed to allow browning and to prevent burning.
    

    Add the Broccoli to the Heated Walnuts

13. If the mixture appears dry, add a little more olive oil.
14. Now add the one-quarter teaspoon of dried Italian Seasoning; then stir.
15. As soon as the broccoli has reached the desired brownness, add the Feta Cheese. Stir Immediately and frequently to prevent sticking.
16. Continue cooking the feta until it has slightly melted. This process generally takes about a minute.
17. Now the Walnuts with Feta and Broccoli Side Dish Recipe is ready to eat. If you have a plan to toss with pasta, start cooking it before adding the items to the frying pan.

Enjoy one of our favorite feta cheese recipes!

We hope you enjoyed this recipe. We have other vegetarian recipes and also vegan recipes available on our website. All of our recipes are free because not only do we love cooking, we also love sharing the wonderful flavors of vegetarian cooking.

Here are a couple of links to recipes on our site. The first one is another side dish called Mint Peas. We love the ease of making this recipe, as well as the flavor combination.

If you are looking for a full meal instead, here is the link for our Italian Quinoa Recipe. This vegetarian recipe is an alternative to a parmesan dish. And, it is chock full of protein and fiber due to the use of quinoa.

Happy Eatin’