^{by Sharon Quercioli}

What Are Brussels Sprouts Anyway?

Are they tiny cabbages? Well, they’re more related to cauliflower, mustard greens and kale. These are all called cruciferous vegetables and are members of the Brassicaceae family. They can be found in the produce section or in the frozen section of your local grocery store.

Brussels Sprouts Are Nutritious

The amount of good stuff packed into those tiny cabbage look-a-likes is amazing! They are rich in antioxidants, Vitamin K and Vitamin C. They have 81% of the recommended daily intake of Vitamin C in every half cup!

They are also high in fiber. In only a half of a cup, they contain two grams (which doesn’t sound like much, but that’s 8% of your recommended daily intake of fiber). Remember, eating too much fiber at once isn’t great for your digestive system, but just the right amount can promote digestive health.

They can also help regulate your blood sugar levels and contain enough ALA (alpha-linolenic acid – which is a type of omega-3 fatty acid) to help supplement a diet that is omega-3 deficient. By just eating a few servings each week, you can meet your omega-3 needs (i.e., if you don’t eat any or enough fish and/or other types of seafood).

They’re So Versatile

I know that the flavor of Brussels sprouts isn’t always a favorite, but that can be remedied but cooking it well and with various spices. Not to mention, pairing these healthy vegetables with different main courses (or integrating them in with the main course) can change the flavor considerably. If you’re a wine connoisseur, you know that pairing a wine with different foods can alter the flavor of the wine and the food.

Play around with different recipes and ingredients to find your favorite Brussels sprouts dish. Below, I’ve added a couple of different recipes to help you on that journey. The first is a plain recipe that you can easily alter by adding different mix-ins. The last recipe is a great recipe if you have kids or if you have a sweet tooth, but still want to enjoy the health benefits of these wonderful veggies.

Plain Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Roasted is my favorite way to prepare these tiny little cabbage look-a-likes. Once you’ve mastered the art of roasting them to your liking, throw other ingredients into the mix to help add a little variety to your diet. My favorite mix is to roast Brussels sprouts, and then add some low sodium soy sauce and brown sugar marinated firm tofu (cut into cubes).

Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds of Brussels sprouts
• 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper (freshly ground)

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

• Lay a piece of aluminum foil on a pan and spray evenly with cooking spray to keep food from sticking. This should help with clean-up and can aid in even cooking.
• Trim and clean Brussels sprouts, and place in a resealable bag along with the rest of the ingredients. Seal bag and shake to evenly distribute the oil and seasoning.
• Pour onto the foil lined baking sheet, and place in the middle rack of your oven.
• Roast for approximately 40 minutes. Times will change depending on your oven. When finished, they should be brown (almost black). If you need to, add a bit of kosher salt at the end. Serve immediately for best flavor.
• They work great as a side dish, but you can also add these roasted Brussels sprouts to main dishes to help add extra flavor and nutrients to the meal. Add them to pasta, stir-fry dishes or even frittatas.

Balsamic and Honey Roasted Brussels Sprouts

I love young Brussels sprouts because they’re sweeter than and not as bitter as the older sprouts. Roasting them in balsamic vinegar and honey is a wonderful combination.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds of brussels sprouts
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• ¾ teaspoon of kosher salt
• ½ of ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons of honey

Preheat your oven to 425° degrees

• Lay a piece of aluminum foil on a pan, and spray evenly with cooking spray to keep food from sticking. This should help with clean-up and can even aid in cooking.
• Trim, clean and slice the Brussels sprouts lengthwise.
• In a big bowl, toss Brussels sprouts and two tablespoons of the olive oil, kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to coat thoroughly.
• Move the Brussels sprouts to the foil lined baking sheet, and roast until tender and caramelized, about 20 minutes.
• Place Brussels sprouts back in bowl. Add remaining tablespoon olive oil, balsamic vinegar and honey and toss to coat. If you need to, add a bit of kosher salt at the end. Serve immediately for best flavor.