Salad with Broccoli, Blueberries & Roast Beef
Frozen broccoli, thawed blueberries, roast beef strips, and crumbled feta, tossed in a balsamic-mustard dressing that pulls everything together in about 15 minutes.
The combination sounds odd until you eat it. The blueberries bring a cold sweetness that plays against the salty feta and savory beef. The broccoli adds bulk without heaviness. And the dressing ties it all together with a sharp tang that keeps the salad from drifting into blandness.
505 kcal with 26 grams of protein and 9 grams of fiber. One bowl, no leftovers.
Frozen broccoli, thawed blueberries, roast beef strips, and crumbled feta, tossed in a balsamic-mustard dressing that pulls everything together in about 15 minutes.
The combination sounds odd until you eat it. The blueberries bring a cold sweetness that plays against the salty feta and savory beef. The broccoli adds bulk without heaviness. And the dressing ties it all together with a sharp tang that keeps the salad from drifting into blandness.
505 kcal with 26 grams of protein and 9 grams of fiber. One bowl, no leftovers.
Ingredients
- blueberries (frozen) 3 ounces
- broccoli florets (frozen) 3 cups
- red onion 0.25
- roast beef 4 slices
- olive oil 1.5 tablespoon
- balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon
- yellow mustard 1 teaspoon
- mixed salad 1 handful
- feta cheese, crumbled 1.5 ounces
Method
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Allow the blueberries to thaw. Bring a pot of water to a boil.
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Cook the broccoli florets for 5 minutes until al dente. Then drain in a colander and rinse with cold water. Let it drain.
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In the meantime, slice the onion into thin rings. Cut the roast beef slices into strips.
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In a small bowl, whisk together a dressing of the oil, vinegar, and mustard.
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Place the lettuce in a bowl and add the blueberries, broccoli, onion, roast beef, and feta. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss together. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
At Step 4, combine the oil, vinegar, and mustard in a bowl and whisk until emulsified. Then at Step 5, pour that dressing directly over the drained broccoli while everything is still cold. Research by Okunade and colleagues (2018) found that adding mustard to cooked broccoli increased sulforaphane bioavailability 4.7-fold. Boiling destroys the enzyme broccoli relies on to produce sulforaphane, but mustard seeds carry a heat-resistant version of that same enzyme. An unheated dressing keeps it intact.
The feta and blueberries are doing something together too. Lab research by Lang and colleagues (2021) found that alpha-casein (the main protein in dairy) increased peak plasma concentration of blueberry anthocyanins by 1.5 to 10.1 times. The casein forms a protective complex around the anthocyanin molecules, carrying them past the acidic environment of the gut. The 42 grams of feta in this bowl is a casein source, eaten alongside the blueberries.
Okunade et al. 2018 · Molecular Nutrition & Food Research · DOIWhy This Works
Behind this recipe
Why blueberries in a savory salad?
They bring a cold sweetness that cuts through the salty feta and savory roast beef, which is the same reason fruit shows up in composed salads at serious restaurants. The frozen blueberries thaw while you cook the broccoli, so they arrive slightly soft and juicy. Beyond flavor: research by Lang et al. (2021) found that dairy protein (alpha-casein, present in the feta) increased absorption of blueberry anthocyanins by 1.5 to 10.1 times in lab conditions. The casein wraps around the anthocyanin molecules during digestion, protecting them.
Can I use fresh broccoli instead of frozen?
Yes. Fresh broccoli retains its own sulforaphane-producing enzyme, so the mustard backup in the dressing is less important. It still works, though. Cut the florets small and blanch them the same 5 minutes. The macros stay about the same. Worth knowing: the freezing process includes a factory blanching step that wipes out the enzyme responsible for sulforaphane conversion. That is exactly what makes the mustard dressing especially useful with the frozen version.
Is this enough protein for a post-workout meal?
The full bowl delivers 26 grams of protein (20.6% of total energy) from roast beef, feta, and the broccoli. Whether that is enough depends on your size and training goals. Most sports nutrition guidelines suggest 0.25 to 0.4 grams per kilogram per meal for muscle protein synthesis. For someone weighing 75 kg, that works out to 19 to 30 grams. This bowl sits in that range.
