Better Broccoli Salad High Iron Options for Athletes

Better Broccoli Salad is filling, delicious and nutritious. A variety of colors, textures, flavors and nutrients are all packed into this beautiful side salad everyone loves. Bring this delectable dish to a party, picnic or any family gathering and it’ll be gobbled up with people asking for the recipe.

Sports nutritionists love this salad for athletes due to the high iron intake from the broccoli and cashews. Along with great flavor and pop of color, the dried cherries provide nutrient rich antioxidants and essential immune boosting vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E. Dried cherries are also high in fiber, potassium, copper, protein and iron. 

It is an easy salad to bring with you on road trips for a delicious healthy option. This is the perfect salad to pack for away games giving you proper sustenance that is light and filling. Put some in a tupperware container or even a ziplock bag, bring the dressing or add it before you leave and remember to bring a fork or a spoon!

The ease of making this salad can be done in 10-15 minutes. Another great thing about this salad is it can be made the day before and then simply add the dressing an hour before serving.

Directions:

1. Bring a large saucepan with water to a boil, add the heads of broccoli and let boil for 2-3 minutes.

2. Drain the boiling water and add cold water submerging the broccoli to stop the cooking process. Leave broccoli in the cold water for 4-5 minutes, then drain.

3. Dry the broccoli really well.

4. As broccoli is still drying, finely chop ¾ cup of red onion.

5. Cook turkey bacon and chop 1 cups worth.

6. Chop broccoli into small bite sizes so that a salad fork can hold a variety of the ingredients on it together in every bite.

7. In a large serving bowl add chopped broccoli, finely chopped red onion, and chopped turkey bacon.

8. Add 1 ½ cups of dried cherries

9. Add 1 cup of chopped unsalted cashews

10.  Add 1 cup of the thick shredded sharp cheddar cheese or you can cube blocks of cheddar cheese. For the ease and simplicity of making this salad the packaged, pre-shredded, extra thick or large shreds are best.

11. An hour before serving this salad add poppyseed dressing. My go-to poppyseed dressing is Brianna’s Home Style.

Ingredients:

1. 1 Large Head of Broccoli

2. 1 Cup Turkey Bacon - cooked and chopped

3. ¾ Cup Red Onion - finely chopped 

4. 1 ½ Cups of Dried Cherries

5. 1 Cup Unsalted chopped Cashews

6. 1 Cup Large Shreds of Sharp Cheddar Cheese

7. Brianna’s Home Style Rich Poppyseed Dressing