Broccoli provides plenty of nutritious goodness, and water chestnuts add crunch in a broccoli and water chestnut casserole, an easy dish with an Asian flair. Play with the basic ingredients, and adjust the seasonings to create a healthy, wholesome dish tailored to suit your flavor preferences and dietary needs.
Broccoli
Broccoli is a low-calorie, high-nutrition vegetable that provides healthy allowances of fiber, vitamin A and C, folate and beta-carotene. Select broccoli with a bright green color and tight florets, and store the broccoli in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it. Wash broccoli just prior to cooking, as washing before storage causes the broccoli to become limp, thus reducing storage time. If you grow your own broccoli, soak the head in salted water for five to 10 minutes to remove any bugs hiding in the florets.
Water Chestnuts
The sweet, crisp water chestnut isn't a nut but is the corm, or bulblike stem, of a type of underwater grass. Although water chestnuts are often eaten raw, they are valued for their ability to stay crunchy even after cooking. Water chestnuts provide healthy levels of protein, iron, vitamin C and vitamin B-1. Canned water chestnuts are available in the ethnic food section of most supermarkets.
Add-Ins
A variety of extra ingredients complement broccoli and water chestnuts, and some of the most common add-ins are nutritious chopped celery, sliced canned or fresh mushrooms, and chopped onions. A can of cream of mushroom or celery soup adds flavor and texture, but beware of the high levels of fat and sodium in cream soups. Reduced-fat and reduced-sodium versions are available and may be better options. Create a meaty dish by adding cooked chicken, or provide protein by stirring in grated mozzarella or cheddar cheese.
Seasonings
The seasonings in your broccoli and water chestnut dish are completely up to you. To accentuate the Asian flavors, use soy sauce and sesame seeds. Other seasoning possibilities include garlic salt, seasoning blends, pepper or dried thyme leaves.
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