Aaah, brussels sprouts. I just learned that it is brusselS sprouts! I kind of feel sorry for them. Not only do they have a commonly misspelled name, most people don’t like them. They’re small. And they’re green. The first time I tried to cook them, they turned out gross and bitter. That was probably in the year 2000 (any Conan O’Brien fans out there??).
Anyway – more recently (10ish years later) I’ve stir fried them. Or “steam fried” them, which tastes pretty good. But I thought I would try something different this past weekend. I picked up a bag of them from Costco and decided to roast them. There seemed to be plenty of rave reviews about roasted brussels sprouts online.
But first, you might want to know some…
Fun Facts About Brussels Sprouts
[I got these from the Fruit and Veggie Guru!]
- 1 pound fresh = 4 cups cooked brussels sprouts
- Brussels sprouts should be stored in the refrigerator and used within a week.
- They are available year round, but production peaks in November and December
- In addition to their cancer prevention benefits, they are also low-fat, saturated fat-free, very low sodium, cholesterol-free, low in calories, a good source of fiber, high in vitamin C and a good source of folate.
How Can Brussels Sprouts Reduce Cancer Risk?
According to the AICR article on brussels sprouts, brussels sprouts are cruciferous vegetables–cousins to broccoli, cauliflower and Bok choy, turnips, chard and watercress. Studies link greater consumption of cruciferous vegetables with decreased incidence of several types of cancer.
Cruciferous vegetables (including brussels) are a source of isothiocyanates, a class of phytochemicals that help our bodies detoxify undesirable compounds, possibly stopping cancer before it starts. Like their cruciferous relatives, brussels sprouts’ taste and smell can be bitter or delicious.
Research reported by AICR shows that there are several common components of cruciferous vegetales that have also been linked to lower cancer risk, including glucosinolates, crambene, indole-3-carbinol. Isothiocyanates mentioned above are derived from glucosinolates.
“Several laboratory studies have suggested that cruciferous vegetables help regulate a complex system of bodily enzymes that defend against cancer. Components of these vegetables have shown the ability to stop the growth of cancer cells in various cell, tissue and animal models, including tumors of the breast, endometrium, lung, colon, liver, colon and cervix.”
That is what makes these so powerful! Ok – so what is the…
Fool Proof Brussels Sprouts Recipe?
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients (Pictured)
Brussels Sprouts (washed, cut off ends and then cut in half)
Olive Oil
Black Pepper
1 medium onion, diced (optional)
“no-salt” seasoning blend
Salt (optional)
[Aside: You’re not going to believe that all of my ingredients came from Costco. And no… they did not pay me for it, ha! I use a lot of onions so I always get them there. Usually I buy olive oil in bulk. And I picked up the no-salt seasoning on a whim one day. I use it regularly! Anyway, back to the recipe!]
Instructions
- Toss together the cut brussels, olive oil, black pepper, diced onion and no-salt seasoning blend. Amounts of seasoning will depend on how many brussels you have. It’s up to you!
- Bake at 375 degrees until done. I think mine took between 45 minutes and an hour.
- Salt, if desired.
Done!! And here’s the final product!
Next time I’ll share the amazing discovery (also this weekend) of Kale Chips. Holy cow, how could I have never made them before?!? They are SO good!!
– Julie
I totally love roasted Brussels Sprouts this way, and add a little garlic.
One thing as a word of caution. I recently purchased some Brussels Sprouts that looked perfect on the outside. I always cut the Brussels Sprouts in half and then cut them. That time, the center of the Brussels Sprouts of that entire batch was rotted. I would not have known that if I hadn’t cut them in half.
Yes – a good tip. I had one that was bad in the middle and had to throw it out. It would be awful to do all the work of cooking and then cut into one that was bad! 🙂