Broccoli Salad with Almond and Chile Dressing

This dish is a delicious combination of two super foods: broccoli and almonds. The zingy dressing features almond butter, ginger, garlic, dates and chile pepper. Serve it over soba (buckwheat) noodles for a main course dish. Do you know what makes broccoli such a super food? Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli contain the phytonutrients sulforaphane and indoles, which are anti –aging and have been shown to provide protection against many types of cancer. Broccoli is astonishingly high in vitamin C, vitamin K and vitamin A. It’s a fantastic source of folate (a natural form of folic acid) fiber, manganese and potassium.
Ingredients: 

Serves 6 to 8

1/2 cup almond butter
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped pitted dates, raisins or prunes
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon sea salt or 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium tamari
1/2 small serrano pepper, finely chopped (optional)
1/3 cup water
2 heads broccoli, cut into florets and blanched
1/3 cup chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
1 1/2 cups mung bean sprouts    

Instructions: 

In a blender or food processor, purée almond butter, lemon juice, dates, ginger, garlic, salt, pepper and water until smooth. Transfer dressing to a large bowl, add broccoli and cilantro and toss well. Cover and marinate for up to 1 hour, if you like. Arrange bean sprouts on a large platter, top with broccoli, garnish with cilantro and serve.

- Recipe from Whole Foods Market