Rinse broccoli and then cut into small bite size pieces. *Save the stems for another dish like fried rice or homemade vegetable stock.
Add broccoli to a large bowl and very carefully pour boiling water into bowl. Let blanch for 3 minutes. Quickly drain the broccoli in a colander and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. *This softens the broccoli but still allows for a crunch. If you want completely crunchy, skip this step. If you want softer broccoli, go for 5 minutes.
Make the dressing by combining all the ingredients into a bowl and stirring to combine.
Chop the grapes and apple.
Add the broccoli, grapes, apple pieces and cranberries to a large bowl.
Add the dressing and gently toss to coat the mixture.
You can eat right away or best to allow mixture to marry together for a few hours to bring the flavors together.
Before serving, add in the vegan bacon bits and optional sunflower kernels or vegan cheese.
Store leftovers in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Video
Notes
*See post for notes about Top 8 Allergy Free variation**Nutritional facts are just estimates. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates.