LEMON BRUSSEL SPROUTS
Still just a little bit crunchy, Brussels sprouts prepared like this have a wonderfully nutty flavor.
1 lb (454 grams) fresh Brussels sprouts
4-6 (60 – 90mL) Tbsp butter – olive oil for a low calory choice
1/2 onion, chopped
salt and pepper
1 tsp (5mL) lemon juice or 1 Tbsp lemon juice, fresh squeezed
¼ (60mL) cup toasted slivered almonds
Remove any ragged or old-looking outer leaves and discard. Parboil the Brussels sprouts (or steam them) for 3 minutes or until just tender. Place the sprouts in a bowl of ice water, this will keep their color bright green. Cut the sprouts into halves. Heat 2-3 Tbsp of butter or olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add 2-3 Tbsp more butter or oil and the Brussels sprouts halves. Increase the heat to medium high, and cook for several more minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Do not overcook – overcooked Brussels sprouts are bitter, overcooking is the main reason people don't like them. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the lemon juice and half of the toasted almonds. Place in serving dish and garnish with the rest of the toasted almonds.
ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS
Variations: add pine nuts, cider vinegar, roasted chestnuts, or thyme. Also wonderful with bacon or pancetta. If adding pine nuts, add them during the last 5 minutes of cooking, or brown them separately and add to the finished dish.
1 pound Brussels sprouts, rinsed, ends trimmed
1 Tbsp (45mL) minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
1 tsp (5mL) lemon juice
2 Tbsp (30mL) olive oil
salt
freshly ground black pepper
¼ Cup (60mL) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place Brussels sprouts in a cast iron frying pan (or a roasting pan, but a cast iron frying pan works particularly well for this recipe). Toss in the garlic.
Sprinkle Brussels sprouts with lemon juice. Toss with oil so the sprouts are well coated. Sprinkle generously with salt (at least a half teaspoon) and a few turns of black pepper.
Put Brussels sprouts in oven on top rack, cook for 20 minutes, and then stir so that the sprouts get coated with the oil in the pan. Cook for another 10 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan and cook for another 5 minutes. The sprouts should be nicely browned, some of the outside leaves crunchy and the interior should be cooked through. Add more salt to taste. (Salting sufficiently is the key to success with this recipe.)
BRUSSELS SPROUT-CHEESE CASSEROLE
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1 1/4 lbs. Brussels sprouts 2 Cup (480mL) low-fat cottage cheese 1 Cup (240mL) non-fat plain yogurt 1/2 Cup 120mL) sliced green onions 2 cloves garlic, minced ½ tsp 2.5mL) paprika Salt and freshly ground pepper 1 Cup (240mL) seasoned bread crumbs 2 oz. (56 grams) Mozzarella cheese, grated
2 oz. (56 grams) Parmesan, grated
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Trim Brussels sprout and cut an "X" in bottom of each.
Blanch or steam until almost tender. In large bowl, combine sprouts, cottage cheese, yogurt, green onions, garlic, paprika and salt and pepper to taste. Spoon mixture into lightly greased casserole. Sprinkle on crumbs and cheese. Bake 45 minutes.
One and a half cups of Brussels sprouts contain about 430 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids (about ⅓ of the daily recommended amount an essential element in the body's anti-inflammatory messaging molecules.
The wealth of vitamin K found in Brussels sprouts has been shown to effectively regulate the body's inflammatory responses.
Brussels sprouts are rich in dietary fiber, which can aid in digestion, prevent constipation, maintain low blood sugar, and help check overeating. The sulforaphane found in Brussels spouts also protects the stomach lining by obstructing the overgrowth of Helicobacter pylori, a bacteria that can lead to gastric cancer.
Brussels sprouts are especially high in vitamin K (one cup contains over two-and-a-half times the recommended daily intake), which promotes healthy bones, prevents calcification of the body’s tissues, serves as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent, and is essential for proper brain and nerve function.
The vitamin C found in Brussels (one cup contains over 161% of the RDA) helps ensure a healthy immune system, wards against hyper tension, lowers blood pressure, fights lead toxicity, combats cataracts, and serves as a powerful antioxidant that prevents “cellular rust,” which can lead to atherosclerosis, heart disease, stroke, and cancer.
Brussels sprouts are rich in vitamin A, a nutrient that boosts immunity, protects eyes against cataracts and macular degeneration, maintains healthy bones and teeth, prevents urinary stones, and is essential for our reproductive organs.
Glucosinolates in Brussels sprouts and their detox-activating isothiocyanates are shown to fight against and even prevent various cancers, including bladder, breast, colon, lung, prostate, and ovarian cancers.
The high fiber content (over 15% of our RDA) of Brussels sprouts lowers cholesterol by binding with bile acids that the liver produces from cholesterol for digesting fat. Because many of these bile acids are coupled with fiber, the liver is charged with producing more bile acid to digest fat, and therefore requires more cholesterol to do so, ultimately lowering the cholesterol amount within our bodies.
A host of antioxidants are found in Brussels sprouts, including Vitamins C, E, and A, and several flavonoids, as well as manganese.
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