Thanksgiving is comin’ in hot. Before you know it, there’ll be turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, and then all the other stuff that’s always on the table, but no one talks about. You know what I mean. There’s always like one or two vegetables that get passed around and everyone feels obligated to take, but really we all just want another scoop of mashed potatoes covered in gravy ’cause that’s the shit that tastes good. Well, in honor of this phenomenon, today’s post is all about finding new appreciation for one of those unappreciated Thanksgiving veggies… the Brussels sprout.
Brussels sprouts look like cute little bundles of cabbage. They are a cruciferous vegetable meaning they are in the same class as broccoli, kale, bok choy, and cauliflower. Cruciferous veggies are rich in nutrients like carotenoids, vitamins C, E, and K, minerals, and fiber. They are even being studied for their association with cancer prevention. They get a bad rap for being smelly and tasting bad, but that’s just because all those people saying that haven’t had them this way yet.
Shredded Sprout Salad
For the Salad:
3 tbsp fine chopped shallots
1 pound brussels sprouts, shredded
2-3 large handfuls spinach or kale
Last night was a feeding frenzy, but I managed to get a picture of the sprouts in my salad today!
For the Dressing:
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, diced
1 tbsp minced shallot
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (1 tsp dried)
1/4 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp water
Salt & Pepper to taste
To make the dressing, combine the mustard, garlic, shallot, thyme, and hazelnuts in a blender. Blend on medium while adding in oil, vinegar, maple syrup, and water. Add salt and some pepper to taste.
In a large saucepan heat up shallots in an oil of your choice [you could use coconut oil, olive oil, or even just throw some bacon in there] until transparent and fragrant. Throw in your Brussels sprouts and continue to cook until they begin to soften. Add the dressing and the kale or spinach to the pan. Work it all together and cook until the kale or spinach begins to wilt.
Remove from the pan and plate. If you think you don’t like Brussels sprouts this dish will change your mind. If you already love Brussels sprouts… why haven’t you started making this yet? Go! Go! Go!
recipe adapted from edible Jersey
Resources:
whfoods.org
