Roasted Broccoli and Lemon and Almonds

Doesn't this dish look healthy and attractive?  The colors are bright and green.  It looks very nourishing.

I like eating broccoli because it's like eating little trees.  Roasted broccoli is the best because it isn't mushy, but I don't turn my nose up to steamed broccoli either.  

What do you know about broccoli?  You may not want to know anything about broccoli..  Broccoli come from the Italian word broccolo which means flowering head.  It was first cultivated in the Mediterranean in the 6th century BC.

It was introduced in the United States by Italian immigrants, and wasn't widely eaten in the U.S. until the 1920s.  Broccoli is best grown in cooler weather.  It is rich in vitamins C and K.  

I found this roasted broccoli recipe at Martha Stewart Living.  I made it exactly as directed.

The ingredients are 2 bunches of broccoli (about 12 cups), 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, 2 teaspoons lemon zest, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, and 1/4 cup slivered almonds.  

I washed and chopped the florets.  I laid the broccoli out on two sheet pans.  I drizzled on the extra virgin olive oil and sprinkled on the salt and pepper.  I tossed the broccoli about to coat it evenly with oil, salt, and pepper.

I made sure the broccoli was evenly spaced and in a single layer before baking it for 15 to 18 minutes at 450 degrees.  After the broccoli was roasted, I tossed the broccoli with the lemon zest and juice.

I sprinkled on the slivered almonds.  I ate this dish warm.

This was a simple yet elegant vegetable dish.

It was citrusy and fragrant.  The flavors were bright and fresh.

The broccoli was tender and browned.  The edges crisped in the oven.

The nuts provided texture and crunch.  Overall, it was a tasty side dish.  It was a good and versatile recipe.