Maple Mustard Glazed Brussels Sprouts

Maple Mustard Glazed BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Maple Mustard Glazed BRUSSELS SPROUTS

 

Brussels sprouts are so chock-full of nutrition, it makes sense that they are such dense little round fellows with many layers. Part of the Brassica family, other brethren include: cabbage (they kind of look like miniature cabbages!), kale, cauliflower, and broccoli. They contain potent sulfur compounds (hence the smell when cooked) which have powerful anti-cancer benefits, support cardiovascular health and assist in phase 2 detox in the liver a critical aspect of eliminating toxins from our body. For such a nutritional powerhouse, in a really cute package, Brussels sprouts don?t have the excellent reputation that I believe they deserve. My suspicion is that the association with up-turned noses stems from the fact that they are often the victim of over-cooking and neglect! When a sulfur-containing vegetable (think broccoli or cabbage) is boiled past the point of no return, a mushy, malodorous end result should come as no surprise! However, when cooked just right, these sprouts still have a bit of a crispy texture and a wonderful nutty even sweet flavour.

Give this dish a try and allow this charming green sprout to show its best side and shed its mushy, odoriferous image of holidays-past! In the recipe below, a mustardy maple vinaigrette glazes crispy roasted Brussels sprouts combined with toasted nuts and savoury sundried tomatoes to create a festive holiday dish!

 

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 pound Brussels sprouts (approx. 4 cups)
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 cup shallots (or onions)
  • 2 Tbsp sundried tomatoes, sliced
  • 2 Tbsp toasted pecans*

DRESSING:

  • 2 Tbsp olive oil (or walnut oil)
  • 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp grainy mustard
  • dash nutmeg
  • sea salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Preheat oven to 400F.
  2. Trim off the brown ends of the sprouts and pull off any yellow outer leaves.
  3. Cut in half.
  4. Toss them in a bowl with olive oil and salt.
  5. Pour them on a sheet pan and roast for 25-35 minutes, until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside.
  6. Shake the pan from time to time to brown the vegetables evenly.
  7. Toss with enough of the prepared dressing to coat you may not use all.
  8. Add sundried tomatoes, pecans and salt and pepper as needed.
  9. Serve warm.

*To toast pecans: Spread nuts on a baking sheet. Bake at 350F for about 5 minutes until nuts are toasted. Set aside to cool.

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