It's Good to Eat Your Veggies

You know what? I really like Brussels sprouts. I really do! Try this recipe and you will too!



Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients:

1 pound Brussels sprouts
2 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. After preparing the sprouts, chop them in half lengthwise. Place the sprouts, halved side up, on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes or until tender. Serves up to 4.

Easy additions: Minced garlic, thyme, chopped onions, or seasoning salt (such as Johnny's) instead of salt and pepper.

Cheese and bacon variation: Line baking sheet with parchment paper. After preparing the original recipe, add chopped, cooked bacon, and a handful (or more) of shredded cheddar cheese a minute or two before removing sprouts from oven. Remove, toss, and serve.

Source: My mom found this in The Costco Connection, October 2013.

Notes: Be careful not to over-salt these. Sea salt can be pretty strong. Also, we opted not to chop the Brussels sprouts in half lengthwise. We simply kept them whole. Delicious!

Soy-Glazed Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients:

6 cups thinly sliced Brussels sprouts
1 cup thinly sliced onion
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Prepare Brussels sprouts. Cut them into thin slices. Toss Brussels sprouts, onion, soy sauce, and sesame oil together in a large bowl until well coated. Spread mixture in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake 15 minutes, or until tender. Remove from oven and sprinkle with balsamic vinegar on top. Toss and serve. Serves 4 to 6.

Source: The Costco Connection, October 2013, recipe courtesy of Jeanette Chen, Costco member and blogger. You can read her blog at Jeanette's Healthy Living here.

Brussels Sprouts Preparation Techniques

Some Brussels sprouts are sold on the stalk on which they grow. Cut the sprouts from the stalk, if applicable. Then rinse them thoroughly and cut off the white stems on the base of each sprout, taking care not to cut through all of the leaves. Peel off a few outer leaves, especially if any have brown spots. Now they are ready for any recipe.

Grilling, roasting, or steaming the sprouts brings out a sweet, mild flavor and also retains many of the vegetable's healthful properties. Heavily boiling the sprouts can make them mushy and bland (possibly the reason they top the "most-hated" list for some) and destroys most of their nutritional value.

Source: The Costco Connection, October 2013.