Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Brussels Sprouts have been classified for a long time as a food that is good for you but doesn’t taste good and, for decades, has prevented children from leaving the dinner table or having dessert until they eat them! I think that this reputation has been due to the fact that people just haven’t cooked them well! I’m here to change that!
It’s true that Brussels Sprouts are SUPER healthy for you! They are high in vitamin C, have a ton of antioxidants and help with immunity, iron absorption, the production of collagen and maintaining healthy tissue! They are naturally low in sodium. They are also rich in Vitamins K, E and B and contain the minerals manganese, folate and copper! They are high in fiber and, as a part of a healthy diet, can help with heart health and liver health!
This recipe is really simple: steamed Brussels Sprouts, a couple of Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and garlic salt and pepper to taste!
The Olive Oil in this recipe is also amazing for your health! It contains large amounts of antioxidants, Vitamins E and K and healthy fatty acids! It is a natural anti-inflammatory and helps protect against heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, cancer and Alzheimer’s. I cook a lot with olive oil for these reasons! Plus, I also enjoy it’s light taste! As a side note, I do know that not all olive oil is created equal! Get the best quality that you can and make sure it is Extra Virgin Olive Oil- it will be less processed and retain more of these amazing health benefits!
Now that we know how wonderfully healthy the combination of brussel sprouts and olive oil is, let’s talk about this recipe!
For some reason, I NEVER remember my mom or Grandmommy fixing Brussels Sprouts! I don’t know if they just didn’t prefer them or they just preferred to prepare other green vegetables instead. It wasn’t until I was an adult, married and cooking frequently that I investigated Brussels Sprouts as a side dish. Pinterest came on the scene the same year I got married (now I feel old!) and it was wonderful to have tons of delicious recipes at my fingertips! I tried Brussels Sprouts SO many ways- oven roasted, pan seared, steamed, boiled, with parmesan cheese, with balsamic vinegar, etc. etc. There is nothing wrong with preparing Brussels Sprouts a myriad of ways! Personally, though, I felt like the texture was either too tough (in the case of oven roasted sprouts) or too slimy (which was the case with many steamed or boiled varieties).
So, one day I decided to combine two of the cooking methods to see what happened and this recipe was born! Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts begins with steaming the sprouts until they are just tender! To reduce work and expense, I buy the frozen steam-in-the bag sprouts and they are just as good (in my opinion) as steaming the raw sprouts, although you can certainly do that if you want to!
This recipe is so easy and it compliments so many meals! I like making it to go with anything Italian or tomato based. It also is great as a green side dish for anything you might be making! I have made it at Thanksgiving on multiple occasions! You can use it as a bed to plate fish or chicken! There are so many possibilities.
Once the sprouts are steamed (or steamed and partially thawed if you are using the frozen kind), you simply cut off any hard stem on the bottom of each sprout and then slice the sprout in half lengthwise! Then, you heat a couple of Tablespoons of Olive Oil in a medium saucepan, you add the halved Brussel sprouts and season with garlic salt and black pepper! Then, you just let the sprouts cook, turning them once or twice, over medium heat until they have some brown color on them and smell delicious!
What You Will Need:
Microwave (or saucepan and water) to thaw frozen Brussel Sprouts
Large Nonstick skillet or cast iron skillet
Spatula
Cutting Board
Sharp Serrated Knife
Recipe:
If you have never tried Brussels Sprouts, or haven’t liked them until now, give this recipe a try! You might just change your mind! Please let me know if you do!