Easy Homemade Broccoli Salad

I know they say that pregnant women crave food, but I have found that I have more regular, and vigorous cravings after I give birth.  Perhaps it’s nursing my babies that cause the cravings (and serious hunger), but my appetite is ferocious lately, and I started craving broccoli salad out of nowhere today.  

Luckily for me, I happened to have broccoli in my fridge when the craving struck.  

What I didn’t have was sunflower seeds, which are typically present in an easy homemade broccoli salad… but I improvised, and I am sort of glad I had to find some substitutes.  Otherwise, I would have never thought about adding capers to the dish, and I think they really provided an interesting and tasty element to the salad!  If you haven’t tried capers, it will be a fun experience.  They are tiny little bites with a burst of flavor. 

Easy Homemade Broccoli Salad 

• 2 crowns of broccoli 
• 1 red bell pepper 
• 2 tsp capers
• 1 cup mayonnaise 
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar 
• 2 tbsp organic sugar cane (or granulated sugar) 
• 1 squirt sriracha (optional) 
• 1/2 tsp salt 
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper 

Cut broccoli from stems, and chop into small pieces.  Remove stems and seeds from red bell pepper, and dice into small pieces.  Combine broccoli, red bell pepper and capers in a large bowl.  

In a smaller bowl, combine remaining ingredients, and stir until mixed.  Pour dressing over broccoli mixture, and stir until all broccoli mix is well coated.  Refrigerate 1 hour before serving. 

This is a quick and lighter side dish for burgers this summer, and it also makes a tasty afternoon snack!  You can also customize this dish to suit your tastes, or the current ingredients of your kitchen and pantry.  Adding sunflower seeds and cooked bacon crumbles would add some crunch and saltiness to this salad.  You could also substitute sour cream or greek yogurt in place of mayonnaise, for a healthier dish.  

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Easy Homemade Broccoli Salad

Servings 4 cups

Author Andrea

Ingredients

• 2 crowns of broccoli
• 1 red bell pepper
• 2 tsp capers
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp organic sugar cane or granulated sugar
• 1 squirt sriracha optional
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper

Instructions

1. Cut broccoli from stems, and chop into small pieces. Remove stems and seeds from red bell pepper, and dice into small pieces. Combine broccoli, red bell pepper and capers in a large bowl.
2. In a smaller bowl, combine remaining ingredients, and stir until mixed. Pour dressing over broccoli mixture, and stir until all broccoli mix is well coated. Refrigerate 1 hour before serving.

Do you have a favorite easy homemade broccoli salad recipe?  What extras do you like to add?