Since broccoli is on sale this week, I thought I’d share my best broccoli salad recipe that I take to many, many family functions. I get requests for it all the time. Such as: make sure to bring that broccoli salad to the father’s day picnic. However, show attendees ask me for the broccoli salad recipe. Therefore, I can wholeheartedly recommend it and am happy to share it with you.

Gretchen’s Broccoli Salad

1 pound bacon, crisp fried and drained
3 bunches of broccoli, finely chopped
1/2 cup raisins or crasins
1/2 cup sunflower seeds (or you can use pumpkin seeds or sesame seeds)
1 medium red onion
1/2 cup Hellman’s mayonnaise
1/4 cup raw sugar
1/4 cup Bragg apple cider vinegar

Mix the mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar and reserve. Let them mix for 20 to 30 minutes.

Mix broccoli, grapes, sunflower seeds, and onion. Then pour the above mixture over it and then top with the fried bacon.

Mix everything together and refrigerate overnight. In fact, you can make it the same day as long as you have at least 5 hours to marinate the flavors. This is not a low calorie or low cholesterol dish. But it is very filling and satisfying. It will keep you away from the dessert table because you will be very satisfied.

If desired, you can substitute 1/4 cup of raw sugar for the agave nectar. Or you could use a powdered sugar substitute like splenda or stevia. I use the rule of thumb: 3 packs and then I test… to see where I like it. Otherwise, you can overdo the sweet taste with an artificial substitution. Some people feel like it changes the recipe and they can tell the difference, but not me. But maybe I’m used to it too.

Another way to cut calories in this recipe is to use turkey bacon instead of real bacon. It has about half the calories. But honestly, I don’t care about the taste. You just have to pick and choose your battles, so to speak. I’d rather cut the amount of bacon in half, to a half pound (8 ounces) of regular bacon and get the real flavor.

You can also use Hellman’s Light Mayonnaise instead of regular mayonnaise. Again, cut calories in half. You’ll have to watch out for a watery consistency if you choose to do that. So be careful and stir frequently if using a light version of mayonnaise.

Enjoy.

I want to share my best broccoli salad recipe that I take to many, many family functions. I get requests for it all the time.