It has been great reading personal goals for 2010 on some of my favorite blogs. The idea of a fresh start with the beginning of a new year is very uplifting. Reading other’s goals has also got me thinking about a few new ones I would also like to incorporate.
One goal a lot of us have in common is to eat more veggies. While looking at the blog Fit to Wed this morning and reading about Katie’s trial with brussel sprouts it inspired me to share the way we cook brussel sprouts. Following this method is a great way to make many, many vegetables tastier.
My absolute favorite way to make brussel sprouts is to roast them in the oven. Roasting vegetables adds a slightly sweeter flavor that can help mask the bitter flavor of some veggies. The depth of flavor with roasting can make them more appealing than steaming or boiling.
The first time I remember eating brussel sprouts and really liking them was when my father-in-law made them for a Christmas dinner several years ago. After that time I adopted his method of cooking them, and now they are probably my favorite vegetable, at least in the winter! I don’t think I even asked him exactly what was on them but I carried forward what I did know. If you see this please let me know if you add anything additional when you make them.
Although brussel sprouts are my favorite winter veggie, I like to make them on the weekends. This is because the way I prepare and clean the brussel sprouts one at a time can be more time consuming than other vegetables. I am probably pickier with my cleaning preparation of brussel sprouts than most, so it does not have to be as time consuming for you.
After picking out the best looking brussel sprouts from my local grocery store, I take them home and rinse them in cold running water to remove any loose dirt. Next I soak them in cold water for a few minutes. The reason I do this is because I like to hope that any bugs that are in them will float out.
Soaking veggies for me started when I made broccoli with just rinsing and not soaking. Not one, but two times I found a steamed caterpillar at the top...yuck. I am sure after the caterpillar was steamed it wasn’t a health hazard, just totally grossed me out. Anyway, soaking is my way of trying to prevent that type of thing from happening, whether or not it actually does any good. It is important for me to note that this is probably not the most environmentally conscious way of doing it; I probably waste more water than is necessary.
After cleaning the brussel sprouts I cut the ends off, then chop them in half. Next I remove a few of the outer leaves of each one because I find dirt gets trapped under them. See what I mean about being a weekend vegetable. It may be complete overkill, but hey that is the real me J. Now that I am almost 30 it is about being comfortable in my own skin if ya know what I mean.
One goal a lot of us have in common is to eat more veggies. While looking at the blog Fit to Wed this morning and reading about Katie’s trial with brussel sprouts it inspired me to share the way we cook brussel sprouts. Following this method is a great way to make many, many vegetables tastier.
My absolute favorite way to make brussel sprouts is to roast them in the oven. Roasting vegetables adds a slightly sweeter flavor that can help mask the bitter flavor of some veggies. The depth of flavor with roasting can make them more appealing than steaming or boiling.
The first time I remember eating brussel sprouts and really liking them was when my father-in-law made them for a Christmas dinner several years ago. After that time I adopted his method of cooking them, and now they are probably my favorite vegetable, at least in the winter! I don’t think I even asked him exactly what was on them but I carried forward what I did know. If you see this please let me know if you add anything additional when you make them.
Although brussel sprouts are my favorite winter veggie, I like to make them on the weekends. This is because the way I prepare and clean the brussel sprouts one at a time can be more time consuming than other vegetables. I am probably pickier with my cleaning preparation of brussel sprouts than most, so it does not have to be as time consuming for you.
After picking out the best looking brussel sprouts from my local grocery store, I take them home and rinse them in cold running water to remove any loose dirt. Next I soak them in cold water for a few minutes. The reason I do this is because I like to hope that any bugs that are in them will float out.
Soaking veggies for me started when I made broccoli with just rinsing and not soaking. Not one, but two times I found a steamed caterpillar at the top...yuck. I am sure after the caterpillar was steamed it wasn’t a health hazard, just totally grossed me out. Anyway, soaking is my way of trying to prevent that type of thing from happening, whether or not it actually does any good. It is important for me to note that this is probably not the most environmentally conscious way of doing it; I probably waste more water than is necessary.
After cleaning the brussel sprouts I cut the ends off, then chop them in half. Next I remove a few of the outer leaves of each one because I find dirt gets trapped under them. See what I mean about being a weekend vegetable. It may be complete overkill, but hey that is the real me J. Now that I am almost 30 it is about being comfortable in my own skin if ya know what I mean.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
On a baking sheet toss prepared brussel sprouts with olive oil and salt to coat them. If you are watching your salt and fat intake you can try to keep how much you toss on the vegetables minimal. I personally love olive oil on veggies because it is a healthy fat, which is an important part of your diet in moderation. However, a great way to use less fat is by putting the oil into a Misto which allows you to lightly spray the oil. Ours was a gift from my Dad and his wife. Bet you haven’t thought about it in a while, thanks we love it!
On a baking sheet toss prepared brussel sprouts with olive oil and salt to coat them. If you are watching your salt and fat intake you can try to keep how much you toss on the vegetables minimal. I personally love olive oil on veggies because it is a healthy fat, which is an important part of your diet in moderation. However, a great way to use less fat is by putting the oil into a Misto which allows you to lightly spray the oil. Ours was a gift from my Dad and his wife. Bet you haven’t thought about it in a while, thanks we love it!
Keep an eye on the brussel sprouts and cook them until they are browned. You may want to flip them once during cooking, although I never bother doing that.
When you take them out of the oven, toss the brussel sprouts with parmesan cheese in an amount to your liking. Parmesan cheese has a strong flavor and tastes great on brussel sprouts! In addition to roasting it masks some of that bitter flavor.
When you take them out of the oven, toss the brussel sprouts with parmesan cheese in an amount to your liking. Parmesan cheese has a strong flavor and tastes great on brussel sprouts! In addition to roasting it masks some of that bitter flavor.
That was the long version, but I encourage you to give this method a try the next time you make brussel sprouts. This is a great way to cook lots of vegetables, especially for those of you who are not veggie lovers. Hopefully this post will inspire you to eat your veggies tonight J.
What is your favorite way to make brussel sprouts?
What is your favorite way to make brussel sprouts?
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