Summer is the perfect season for a lightly roasted salad like this Shaved Broccoli, Tofu and Fennel dish that can come together quickly.

The dietary fiber in salads loaded with raw vegetables tends to be hard to digest, leading to symptoms such as stomach pain and gas. Lightly cooking your vegetables can make them much easier to digest, so if you’re craving a light and refreshing dish during the summer heat but want something that is easier on your digestive system, this dish is for you.

Don’t be intimated by the multiple steps in this recipe. Each one is incredibly easy to execute.

Fennel is the star of this recipe and is an often-underutilized nutritional powerhouse, mostly because it can be intimidating to cook with at first. With its licorice-like flavor and numerous health benefits, fennel has been used in natural remedies for thousands of years. Fennel is used for various digestive problems including heartburn, intestinal gas and bloating as well as upper respiratory tract infections, coughs and bronchitis.

The strong licorice-like flavor of fennel is balanced in this recipe with the sweetness of figs as well as the pungent flavors of the Italian White Wine Vinegar and the Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil found in the quick and easy vinaigrette. Both Filippo Berio products are made with 100% non-GMO sourced ingredients. Leave a comment below if you make the recipe!

Recipe
Ingredients
4 tbls freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tbls Filippo Berio white wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp honey
1/4 tsp sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup Filippo Berio organic extra-virgin olive oil (1/4 cup for vinegrette, use the rest to coat broccoli and drizzle on figs)
2 heads, stems very thinly sliced lengthwise, florets thinly sliced crosswise
2 bulbs fennel very thinly sliced
3 tbls dill
1 package of organic extra firm tofu
1 small pint of figs, cut in half length wise

Directions
To make roasted figs and broccoli:
1.) Preheat oven to 350 F
2.) Place broccoli florets and stems in a large bowl, toss and coat evenly with olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt if desired and spread evenly on a baking sheet
3.) Place figs on a separate baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sea salt
4.) Bake broccoli and figs for 20 minutes, flip broccoli half way through

To make tofu:
1.)Pat the tofu dry with paper towels to remove excess water; cut into 1-inch slices
2.) Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add the oil and after the oil is hot, carefully add the tofu into a single layer (hot oil may splatter)
3.) Sear each side for 2-3 minutes, or until at sides are golden and crisped

To make vinegrette:
1.) In a large bowl, combine the lemon juice, vinegar, honey, salt and pepper
2.) Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking constantly until incorporated

In a large bowl, toss the broccoli, tofu and fennel shavings. Pour over the dressing, and toss to coat. Add figs. Season the salad with salt and pepper, garnish with dill. 

Thank You Filippo Berio for sponsoring this post and thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible. As always, opinions are my own.