This bright and nutritious dish comes together deliciously with flavors from many components like lemon, balsamic vinegar, and toasted almonds. It’s a perfect side dish to accompany any main meat dish or pasta dish and makes great leftovers (if you have any 😀)

Have you ever made balsamic reduction? It’s just a fancy way to say balsamic sauce. It’s thicker, more flavorful, and less acidic than regular balsamic vinegar. By cooking it down to half its quantity, the sauce transforms to a perfect glaze-like liquid that pairs deliciously with the broccoli. It’s also very tasty with other foods like chicken, pork, seafood, and vegetables. I added a tablespoon of coconut sugar to the reduction to break up the acidity and add some sweetness to the already savory and tangy broccoli and lemon flavors the dish incorporates. It’s the perfect mix!

Ingredients

Broccoli

• 6 bunches of broccoli, stalks removed
• ¼ cup avocado oil
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of 1 lemon
• ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• ¼ cup slivered almonds

Balsamic Reduction

• 1 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon coconut sugar

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Coat a sheet pan with a thin layer of avocado oil (or non-stick spray) and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, toss together broccoli florets, avocado oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until well combined.
3. Place broccoli on the sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes.
4. Remove broccoli from the oven and sprinkle almonds on the sheet pan with the broccoli. Gently toss then bake an additional 10 minutes.
5. While broccoli is baking, place balsamic vinegar and coconut sugar in a small saucepan. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium heat then reduce to low heat and low simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until liquid is reduced by half. Stir occasionally.
6. Drizzle the balsamic glaze over the broccoli almond mixture and serve immediately.

Notes:

• Choose a good quality avocado oil and balsamic vinegar, preferably organic.
• Another tip in knowing when the balsamic reduction is complete – dip a spoon in the mixture. If the spoon remains lightly coated with sauce once removed, the reduction is complete.
• Take note that, depending on how thick you like the reduction, the balsamic mixture will harden once removed from heat. It’s best to prepare the reduction right before the broccoli is done baking. If the reduction hardens/thickens, it can be heated on the stovetop over low heat until desired consistency is reached.