This Broccoli Salad's good down to the last sunflower kernel

I’ve blogged about several broccoli salad recipes before, but this one has been in my collection longest and is a favorite around our house. Recently it was good down to the last sunflower kernel. Hubby and I were scraping the sides of the serving bowl for the last morsel before we put the bowl into the dishwasher.

We had a family meal in which I offered to prepare each member’s favorite dish. Of the first several items requested, none was green. Then the suggestion of a salad was offered to balance things out. I knew exactly what I’d fix. This Broccoli Salad is featured in my first cookbook, Way Back in the Country. Our daughter-in-law brought it to a family event many years ago. I don’t think many guests had dined on a broccoli salad before, so it was a terrific hit. Ever since then, even though I’ve read of many variations on this theme and have tried several, to me this one always has been the most tasty version.

Little broccoli florets, separated from the main broccoli crowns, are tossed with chopped red onion, bacon bits (I used turkey bacon), and sunflower seeds in a dressing of mayo, cider vinegar, and sugar (or sugar substitute). You can toss the whole thing several hours earlier (I did it this way) or wait and add the dressing just before serving.

You know all the health benefits broccoli has going for it, so you can’t miss with a serving of this wonderful veggie, but the taste of this combination is unexcelled as well. This was a pretty good “green” addition to all the non-green at our family dinner, plus Hubby and I—always great leftover appreciators—were only too happy to polish off the remains.

Broccoli Salad

1/2 cup mayonnaise (I used lite mayo)

1/2 cup sugar (I used sugar substitute)

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 bunch raw broccoli, diced

1/2 small onion, chopped (I used red onion)

12 slices of cooked, crumbled bacon (I used turkey bacon bits)

1 cup sunflower seeds, dry roasted

Make a dressing mixture by combining mayonnaise, sugar, and cider vinegar. Reserve and chill. Toss remaining ingredients. At serving time add dressing mixture to salad ingredients. Serves 4-6.