Recently one of my sisters made a commitment to add one veggie serving per day to her diet. I decided to join her in that. It has been somewhat successful. For a couple weeks I did it but after those first couple weeks the reality is I managed to add one serving per WEEK. Do I hear cheering? Aw, come on, be a sport.
When I was a a kid. . .okay, even as an adult, I avoided Brussels sprouts. Potatoes were the veggie of choice. Then when it came into my awareness to roast veggies I learned to like these miniature cabbages. It came as a pleasant surprise the first time a friend had us for lunch and in her unglazed clay baking dish she roasted them with olive oil and sea salt. That was a few years ago.
Last month when the idea was fresh in my mind to add a veggie serving per day, a good friend loaned me her "Williams Sonoma Cooking At Home" tome. This is one of those really big cookbooks without photos. It takes more concentration to use a cookbook like that but this one seems to be worth the effort. Based on my New Year's resolution the first recipe I tried was Brussels sprouts. It was so good I tried it again soon and even took this photo:
And now (drum roll please) the recipe:
Brussels Sprouts with Mustard and Lemon
1 1/2 lb Brussels sprouts
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 Tablespoon whole-grain mustard (I used Basel Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Grain Mustard)
3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and ground pepper
Trim the ends from the Brussels sprouts and cut the sprouts in half lengthwise. Bring a large saucepan three-fourths full of salted water to a boil. Add the sprouts and boil until tender-crisp, 2-3 minutes. Drain the sprouts well and let cool to room temperature.
In a bowl, stir together the lemon juice and mustard until well blended. Set aside.
Just before serving, heat the oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the Brussels sprouts and stir and toss until their edges just begin to turn golden, 1 -2 minutes. At the last moment, add the lemon juice-mustard mixture and stir briskly. Season with salt and pepper.
Transfer to a warmed bowl and serve right away.
Almost thou persuadest me. How necessary is the fancy label mustard?
ReplyDeleteVery funny! You really should try them. Be sure and cook them just as it says. Any longer and you get the olive green color. My guess is the fancy label mustard is not necessary. That's just what I had on hand and didn't want to make a special trip to the store for something else. Anyway, I think Basel Cellars sold out of their fancy mustard. Also, I'm interested in any new veggie recipes you've tried lately. Guest blogger? Photos?
DeleteI was teasing. I would try them. Especially with the Treager. No to the guest blogging. My own keeps me plenty busy. Thanks for the vote of confidence. We did have a new try :) last night. Small peppers stuffed with Brie/Cream Cheese, topped with pesto. Got a little fancier for lunch, topping them with a bit of chicken and spinach. They don't compare to bacon/jalapeno poppers, so not a repeat. Still love to try new recipes. Even made a trip to the store to get the cream cheese. Wouldn't have had to. The Brie was better. That will be all the commentary you will get from me! Ha! Glad for your reviews and the writing is entertaining. Good job!
DeleteOh my! The bacon/jalapeno poppers sound wonderful. I think you better send me the recipe. Then I'll try them, take photos and post to the blog. I agree you are probably maxed out with your own blog. And doing an excellent job I might add. It was worth a try though. I think one of these days LW will either guest blog or start her own.
DeleteDo you follow me on pinterest? I'm sure the recipe has been pinned to Food. Very creative label, I know. :) I was out of ideas that day. I like the picture, very nice, btw.
DeleteNOW I follow you on pinterest. If this is the one: "Bacon Wrapped Guacamole Poppers with Cream Cheese, Lime, and Avocado" then I've repinned it to my food board. Thanks for the photo compliment. I'm leaving now for an engagement photo shoot. Hopefully I will get to do the wedding too.
DeleteYes, I think that would be it. The thing that is making me laugh is knowing that you probably have to eat all the Brussels Sprouts by yourself unless LW and spouse were there. You should also record the companion meal you made for your other kids and husband. Now there's a story, ha, the reactions you get to this wonderful food you cook from them! Oh, look forward to seeing your pictures!
DeleteI can't remember now what I served them. Usually fresh carrots because it is so easy and they eat them without complaining. Husband eats the Brussels sprouts a little, not a lot and never left over. I really like the left overs though.
DeleteYes, I liked these when you made them! They were actually very good. Just need to get some and make them myself. YUM!
ReplyDeleteRoasted or fried are my favorite veggie methods too.
LW in SE WA
You had them the first time I made them. I liked them better the second time. I thought I should cook them longer the first time and while they tasted pretty good, the second time they were excellent because I really concentrated on following the cooking times and preheating the water and pan before putting the Brussels Sprouts in. Glad you liked them and I think you will like them even better when you have them again.
DeleteCan't wait to try them. Steve and I started eating brussel sprouts a year ago when we went on a no carb diet, and really like them. Your photo looks yummy. Thanks for the advice on the cooking time. We are gobbling the roasted garlic that Heidi gave us a recipe for as well.
ReplyDeleteThank you for inspiring us to add veggies to our menus. Fun to hear about the roasted garlic. I better get that recipe from you and give it a whirl.
DeleteTonight I told the kids (including my little sis and bro) that we were celebrating an early St. Patrick's day *haha) and having a green supper. I made these along with a green soup, both new recipes I wanted to try. The 13 yr old actually liked both and all the girls so-so, but it wasn't a total refusal to eat them, so I think that's a good sign!
ReplyDeleteThese brussel sprouts are amazing and really simple to make. You really should be sure to eat them quickly when they are warm though; they are better before they cool off.
LW in SE WA
Funny! I like the St. Patrick's day idea to sneak veggies in and make it fun. I guess it didn't work as well as we would have liked. Within a minute of leaving your place little sister announced she was hungry. We stopped at the next drive in and bought them both a hamburger. I could tell we weren't going to make it home in peace otherwise. They weren't overly hungry when you served them supper as they ate supper right after school. Then by the time 8:30 P.M. rolled around it was a different story.
DeleteFunny! I will send you the roasted cauliflower. It was in an email from Heidi a while back. Watch for my forward.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Here is the recipe:
ReplyDeleteBetter than Mashed Potatoes Serves 4
1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
2 ounces cream cheese
2 Tablespoons butter
1/4 tsp sea salt
Place a steamer basket in a large pot with 2" of water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Place the cauliflower in the basket and steam for 20 minutes or until very soft.
Remove from the heat and drain. In a blender or food processor, combine the cauliflower, cream cheese, butter and salt. Blend or process til smooth.