To continue our healthy habits recipes…
Let’s talk about evil.
I’m talking about the kind of evil that there is nothing anyone could do to you to make you carry out these unspeakable acts….like eating a Brussels sprout. Yes, those innocent looking green balls that are grown exclusively in Satan’s garden, specially tended by the likes of Hitler and Genghis Khan, as they whip harnessed puppies and kittens to plow the fields.
Yes, a truly evil vegetable…..or is it?
Your first experiences with Brussels sprouts were probably similar to mine. Your mother would pull a pre-packaged, frozen, green lumpy bundle out of the freezer and pop it into the microwave. 3 minutes later she would pour the sprouts, and usually a cheese like sauce of a yellow or orange color that does not appear in nature, into a bowl and say “EAT! It’s healthy!” There was also the wonderful side effect of the entire house now smelling like feet for the next week.
Well, I’m here to tell you that I am a Brussels sprout convert. Not for the disgusting mess I mentioned above, but for the real thing, properly prepared. I guarantee you that if you try this week’s recipe, I’ll at least get a “hmmm, not half bad!” (at least for an evil devil-vegetable)
Here goes…
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
The key here is FRESH sprouts. Get them still on the stalk if you can, but as long as they aren’t frozen or processed you will be fine. Again, FRESH IS THE KEY!
Toss 1 ½ lbs halved Brussels sprouts with ¼ cup olive oil and a pinch each of red pepper flakes (I tend to use more than a pinch, but I like heat), salt and pepper.
Roast cut side down on a baking sheet at 450 until caramelized, about 20-25 minutes (check them at the 15 minute mark, you want them roasted, not burnt).
Take out of the oven and drizzle the sprouts with a little balsamic vinegar.
Pop-em in your mouth and enjoy the sweet, spicy, yummy flavor of this now Heavenly vegetable.
As an added bonus, this cooking method does not make your house smell like feet!
Fun fact: Brussels sprouts and other brassicas are also a source of indole-3-carbinol, a chemical which boosts DNA repair in cells and appears to block the growth of cancer cells
-Chris Nichols
