To figure this one out, let’s look at the definition of “baked”. Basically, it means to be cooked by dry heat without direct exposure to a flame, typically in an oven. Well, this certainly reminds me of a very popular method of preparing broccoli – roasting it. And what is roasting? By definition, it is prolonged exposure to heat in an oven or over a fire. Well, if baking takes place in an oven and roasting takes place in an oven, broccoli can definitely be baked. And man is it good!

But how do you do it? It starts with cutting 4 or 5 pounds of broccoli into round pieces. The most basic method is to mix the broccoli with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and bake this at 400-425 degrees for 20-25 minutes. But there are lots of other creative ways to do it. Some people like to toss it with lemon juice, lemon zest, parmesan cheese, sliced garlic cloves, panko breadcrumbs, pine nuts, ginger, tarmari, chilis, almonds, or a combination of these other delicious, mostly good-for-you foods.