Best Recipe for Broccoli Salad

Since Broccoli is so abundantly available and so affordable, I thought I would share my best recipe for broccoli salad that I take to many, many family functions.

 I get requests for it all the time. Such as: make sure you bring that broccoli salad to the father's day picnic. Or, I get asked for the recipe for broccoli salad from people attending the function.  So, I can heartily recommend it and pleased to share it with you.

Gretchen's Broccoli Salad

1 pound bacon, fried crisp & drained
3 bunches broccoli, chopped fine
1/2 cup raisins or crasins
1/2 cup sunflower seeds, ( or can use pumpkin seeds, or sesame seeds)
1 medium red onion
1/2 cup Hellman's Mayo
1/4 cup raw sugar
1/4 cup Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar

Mix your mayo, sugar and vinegar and set aside. Let blend together for 20 - 30 minutes.

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

Toss all together and refrigerate overnight.  Can actually make it the same day as long as you have at least 5 hours to marinate flavors together.  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 so satisfied.

If you want, you could substitute agave nectar for the  1/4 cup raw sugar.  Or you could use a powder sugar substitute such as splenda or stevia. I use the rule of thumb: 3 packets and then taste...to see where I like it.  Otherwise, you can over do the sweet taste with an artificial substitution. Some people feel it changes the recipe and they swear they can tell the difference, but I can't.  But maybe I am just use to it also.

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

You could also use Hellman's light Mayo rather than the regular mayo. Again, it cuts the calories in half. You will have to watch out for a watery consistency if you do choose to do that. So, be careful and toss frequently if using a light version of mayo.

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