To prepare the salad, wash the broccoli under running water. Cut the florets from the stalks and set these aside. Cut the florets into bite size pieces. Place in a large bowl. Cut the hard, outer skin off the broccoli stems. Discard the peelings. Cut the tender insides into match-size sticks. Some food processors also have an attachment that will cut them into long pieces. Add these match-sticks to the salad bowl with the florets. Then add the remaining ingredients. Stir together.

To make the dressing, start by making our sour cream--Add 12-14 ounces of soft or firm tofu to a blender along with 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon vegetable broth, 1 tsp salt or salt substitute, 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, For a more golden color, you can add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of turmeric. Blend all these in the blender until smooth and creamy. I like to use soft tofu as it makes the smoothest sour cream. You can adjust the seasonings to suit your taste. Scoop the sour cream out of the blender. If desired, you can add a tablespoon of snipped chives or green onion. Then chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.

When I use the sour cream for the dressing for Apple-Broccoli Salad, I mix 1 cup of the sour cream with 2 more tablespoons of lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of cane sugar. I just mix them all together in a bowl, then pour the dressing over the salad and stir it all together.

CHEF'S NOTE: If you have leftovers the 2nd day of the salad, you will need to stir it up as some of the dressing will be absorbed by the fruit and veggies. Add a little water to the salad and mix, if needed. And your salad will be smooth and creamy once again.