Roasted Broccoli with Sesame Miso Dressing

Sometime soon I plan to stop talking about this. But until then you'll just have to hear about it.  I mean, I have to tell somebody and everyone else in my life is sick of hearing it.  Guess who got to meet Brandi Carlile this week.

Yep, that would be me.

If you don't know who Brandi Carlile is that has to change right now.  She's an amazing singer/songwriter originally from the Seattle area.  If you haven't heard her music before you need to.  Seriously.  Like right now.  Her new album will also be released on May 3rd and she's performing at a bunch of places around Seattle to celebrate.  Check out her website for more details.    

So here's where I'm going to geek out about this again.  I've been a huge fan of hers for years and have always told people that one day I planned to meet her.  I didn't know how, but I knew it would happen.

The nonprofit organization I used to work for had their annual fundraising event this week and through some of their connections they were able to get Brandi Carlile to perform at their auction.  Their event manager, quite aware of my obsession, texted me as soon as Brandi was confirmed.  Apparently I was the first person to be notified.  I'm just that cool.

And the rest is history.  They had an amazing event and raised over $345,000 to benefit women and girls in the Seattle area.  Brandi gave an awesome performance.  And, at the end of the night, I got to meet her.  And she hugged me.  Twice.  Just sayin.

So, how does roasted broccoli relate to Brandi Carlile?  Quite frankly, it doesn't.  But I figured I had to move on from gushing about her eventually so I might as well follow it with something that you're interested in.

Do you like broccoli?  No?  Hmm, then maybe I should just keep talking about Brandi.

Even if you're not a big broccoli fan, I have a feeling you might like this recipe.  The salty and sweet combination from the miso and agave bring out the best of broccoli's qualities.  Roasting it adds a nice flavor as well, but you could easily steam it instead.  If you wanted, you could even eat the broccoli raw and use the sauce for dipping.

Do you eat your broccoli stalks?  If you don't, you're missing out.  Broccoli florets are great, but I think the stalks are sweeter and even more delicious.  To use them in this recipe, cut the florets from the stalk then simply peel or chop off the outer tough layer of the stalk.  Chop the peeled stalk into pieces and roast with the florets.  They are also delicious raw so I wouldn't blame you if they never even made it to the oven.

Roasted Broccoli with Sesame Miso Sauce
Serves 6

6 cups broccoli florets and stems, chopped
4 Tablespoons white miso paste
2 Tablespoon agave syrup
2 Tablespoon rice vinegar
4 Tablespoons water
3 Tablespoons sesame seeds for topping

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Lay broccoli flat on a sheet pan and roast for 20 minutes, turning at least once.
Mix miso paste, agave, rice vinegar, and water together.  When broccoli has finished roasting, either drizzle or toss dressing with the broccoli.  Top with a sprinkling of sesame seeds.