Brussel Sprouts Fast & Fancy
November 22, 2009

by Jane Sherry		print version
		print version (graphics)

Fresh brussel sprouts from your local farmer, on the stalk or off
Maple syrup, honey or agave syrup to drizzle
Walnuts or Pecans roasted to garnish
Fresh parsley to garnish

Treat your brussel sprouts like little cabbages & after you admire Nature's practicality in the small & lovely package that is a sprout, take off the hard spot where the sprout meets the stem. If you're lucky enough to have fresh sprouts still attached to the stem, simply take a sharp knife & carefully cut it off the stem. After trimming off dark or discolored leaves & trimming the end, chop your sprouts into quarters or thinly shredded.

If you're very ambitious & have many hands to help, a nicer way to make this dish is to take off each leaf of the little cabbage.

Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 225 degrees. (This step can be done a day ahead or even a few days in advance. If you make this ahead, place the cooled nuts into a mason jar with a lid to keep them crisp.)

Once you've got your pile of chopped brussel sprouts, warm a little good olive oil or ghee in a pan over medium high heat & saute your little cabbages until crisp tender. If you want to omit the oil, you can saute in a little bit of water & add as needed so the brussels don't stick to the pan. If you overcook anything in the crucifer family (brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, collards, etc) you will find your greens a bit bitter & rank from the release of too many released sulfur compounds. So watch your brussels & you can add a bit of water if they seem to stick. Or you can add a sprinkle of salt, which should release some of the water in the leaves & make them more tender. The cooking should only take about 5 minutes at the most.

When tender put the brussel sprouts into a bowl, toss with a dash of maple syrup, honey or agave syrup or even a dash or apple cider. Toss your roasted pecans or walnuts on top to garnish, chop some fresh parsley or other fresh garden herb (if you have any left growing) on top for color. Or sprinkle with cayenne pepper.

Even people who swear they despise brussel sprouts will love this dish. A great & fancy side vegetable dish to grace any autumn or holiday table.

Bon appetit!

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Jane Sherry, one of the Founders of Satya Center is a Reiki practitioner/teacher, spiritual counselor, creator of healing art talismans, healing gardens & loves to cook! She has a background in the visual arts before moving into the healing arts and has been a longtime lover of herbs & spices & cooking. She currently resides in the Hudson Valley farm country in upstate NY where she grows medicinal & culinary herbs, as well as flowers & vegetables. She works the Satya Center healing practice with co-founder and husband, Curtis Lang and co-operates the Satya Center Crystal Gallery and web portal. You will always find crystals in among the herbs, flowers & vegetable beds!