Yeah, the frozen ones suck. They always seem so waterlogged. That said, I hate prepping fresh ones, as much as a I enjoy them and yellow beans. (But if it’s green beans, it’s the fresh ones on the table.)
But peas and corn were specifically called out by his nutritionist as not what he was supposed to use to fill the half plate with vegetables.
Yeah, corn I had heard about, but I could see peas, since they are also on the sweet side. I still wonder how carrots fit, as those are quite sweet too.
Call me crazy, but I love broccoli, as well as other cruciferous vegetables, like cauliflower and Brussels Sprouts. I eat them regularly. They are undeniably healthy for you, especially compared to other side dishes. I eat broccoli plain, no butter or cheese sauce needed, but usually with a pinch of salt.
I haven’t been to a diner in many, many years, but if they are serving broccoli as their “vegetable of the day”, they are doing you a favor and you should thank them, not curse them.
When you were a kid, you may have lumped peas into the same category as broccoli, spinach, or any other green plant on the plate. But green peas aren’t the same as leafy greens. In fact, their classification is a little tricky.
Mature green peas — typically sold dried and split in half — are more like beans. But fresh or frozen green peas are classified as a starchy vegetable by the U.S. Dietary Guidelines.
As for carrots, I think all root vegetables are starchy.
Anyway, broccoli. It’s one of my go-to vegetables. I like broccoli, and it’s quick and easy to make. My other go-to vegetables are asparagus and yellow squash. I like Brussels sprouts, but my wife doesn’t prefer them unless they’re in cheese sauce.
According to the USDA, there are five sub-groups for vegetables - green peas and corn are in “starchy vegetables” which includes potatoes, parsnips and plantains. Carrots are in the group with red and orange bell peppers, tomatoes, pumpkin etc.
Brussels sprouts should be wrapped in bacon.
Agreed. Potatoes are a lot of the reason for the “most” in that sentence. Potatoes I want thoroughly cooked. (Also sweet potatoes and winter squash and probably something I’m not thinking of at the moment.)
Broccoli is quite fine in the various forms that have been described.
BUT
I will express solidarity with OP as to observing a trend to make unimaginatively served broccoli the everything everywhere everyday vegetable. The earth gives us other things. But I suppose they are costlier and more perishable when fresh?
It IS the best way. Then again I grew up in a place that grew pineapples so I also had an even higher freshness advantage.
Here’s my easy-peasy brussels sprouts go-to recipe:
- Shake up sprouts in a gallon ziplock baggie with finely minced garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. Bacon bits are perfectly optional (i usually don’t add bacon).
- Cook in a baking pan in a 400 degree oven, shaking pan occasionally to rotate sprouts. Cook until sprouts are tender and turning golden brown in spots (~40 minutes).
- Eat sprouts while saying things like “OMG these are so good. I can’t believe I used to think I didn’t like brussels sprouts!”
I have done similar, although I often use an air fryer, especially in the hotter months. But, as has been discussed in MANY threads, modern brussels have a lot fewer bitter compounds compared to years gone by (and a hot, dry cooking method helps make them sweeter compared to boiled-to-death options as well) so it’s both proper cooking and carefully chosen variants.
Nvrmd, already answered above.
A fresh, fully-ripe cantaloupe or honeydew is a delicacy worthy of a Pindar, to sing its praises. The problem with restaurant fruit salad is that you mostly get chunks of unripe melon, which is like biting into vaguely melon-flavored plastic.
I eat broccoli pretty much every day. Raw on my lunch salad and boiled for dinner. I like to melt American cheese (hey, take it easy) over it. Fresh squeezed lemon juice is good, too. Regarding Chinese restaurants - ours cooks it perfectly every time. The overcooked stuff at dinners is pretty bad but I’l usually eat it.
I love steamed broccoli. I buy the 12 ounce bags at Walmart: throw the bag in the microwave for three minutes, and that’s all there is to it. Super convenient. Add some lean protein (tuna or grilled chicken), season with spices, and it makes for a very healthy dinner.
Strangely, though, I hate cauliflower.
I like broccoli with a cheese sauce. Unfortunately many restaurants only offer plain steamed broccoli. I’ll eat a bite or two. That’s enough without sauce.
Green Giant Steamers are good. I always stock a couple packages in my freezer.
I don’t like cauliflower. My favorite side dish at a restaurant is brown beans or butter beans. A pot of beans is cheap and used to be a common side on the menu.
And as mentioned by others, restaurants always over-steam them for some reason.
Huh. To me, frozen tastes closest to fresh from the garden. The only think they are missing is that “garden” taste that seemed to be in all of my grandma’s crops, whether tomatoes, peppers, or green beans.
Frozen green beans? Really? They don’t taste as cooked as canned green beans, but the texture… 
The fresh ones at the supermarket are fine, when they are available. I grew up with green beans fresh from the garden, but fresh from the produce section is pretty good, too.
Perhaps it’s because we always cooked them in water, even fresh. How do you cook them?