Nooch Broccoli and Cauliflower with Broccoli Sprouts (85 Cal)

Nutritional yeast does three jobs here: B12, zinc, and selenium in a two-tablespoon hit, plus it forms a savory crust on hot vegetables that makes them taste like they have cheese on them. Because they do — the tablespoon of real Parmigiano-Reggiano bridges the gap between nooch and actual umami. The raw broccoli sprouts added at serving time are the real payload. They contain 50 to 100 times more sulforaphane precursor than the mature broccoli underneath them. Heat destroys the myrosinase enzyme that converts glucoraphanin to sulforaphane, so the sprouts go on raw, always.

Ingredients

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• 1 large head broccoli, cut into florets
• 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets
• Coconut oil spray
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp dulse flakes
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated
• 1 cup broccoli sprouts (raw, for serving)

1 large head broccoli, cut into florets
1 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets
coconut oil spray
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dulse flakes
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tbsp Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated
1 cup broccoli sprouts

Instructions

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1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment.
2. Spread broccoli and cauliflower florets on the pan in a single layer. Hit with coconut oil spray, then season with garlic powder, dulse flakes, and black pepper. Toss to coat.
3. Roast for 18 minutes. The edges should be charred in spots but the stems should still have some bite.
4. Pull from the oven and immediately dust with nutritional yeast and Parmigiano-Reggiano while the vegetables are still hot. The heat melts the parmesan and activates the nooch’s stickiness.
5. Divide into four portions for storage. When serving, top each portion with a quarter cup of raw broccoli sprouts.

Walford Notes

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Dulse replaces salt. It delivers iodine, potassium, and iron while adding a faint oceanic salinity. Most people are iodine-deficient without knowing it, and dulse is one of the few whole-food fixes that does not taste like medicine.

Broccoli sprouts must stay raw. Sulforaphane is the most studied natural Nrf2 activator — it upregulates your body’s own antioxidant production rather than acting as a direct antioxidant. Cooking above 158°F destroys the myrosinase enzyme required for conversion. Add them cold, right before eating.

Nooch (nutritional yeast) is fortified with B12, which is otherwise unavailable from plant foods. Two tablespoons cover roughly 160% of the daily value. It also provides zinc and selenium — two minerals that most calorie-restricted diets fall short on.