Wine and Shallot Brussels Sprouts

It may shock you to learn that brussels sprouts have been one of my favourite vegetables since I was a kid. Most kids grow up hating brussels sprouts. The funny part is that was a rather picky eater. When I was younger, they only ever made an appearance during the holidays. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's day there would be steamed brussels sprouts on the dinner table. It was always a given. My grandparents would host the events every year. Being english might have something to do with the sprouts being such a staple.

It's not unusual for us to have brussels sprouts (cooked any way) more than 3 times a week. Steamed brussels sprouts = the best! It might be boring but I really could live on steamed vegetables. Add some quinoa to that and I'll be all set!

A little tip, the best tasting brussels sprouts are small and young/ recently harvested. They are not quite so bitter and cook the best since they are fresh.

To prepare sprouts first you want to trim the ends of the stalk off. This bit is bitter, you don't want to eat it:

Then remove the outer leaves and give 'em wash. Next, if you are steaming them, you can either cut a little "X" into the end of each sprout (this ensures even cooking) or slice them in half.

This is a quick and easy recipe that doesn't skimp on any flavour. If you've had a hard time trying like this nutrient packed veggie then this recipe might just help you to acquire a taste for them. When cooked with wine and shallots they take on a golden crispy texture and an amazing caramelized flavour.

Wine and Shallot Brussels Sprouts

vegetarian, vegan, gluten free | makes 4 servings

Adapted from 101 cookbooks

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Ingredients:

• 1 lb brussels sprouts, stems trimmed and outer leaves removed
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• Pinch of sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Boil a large pot of water (or a pot fitted with steamer basket) and prepare an ice bath in a large bowl. Cut each sprout in half through the stem. Add sprouts to boiling water and cook until tender-crisp, about 5 minutes. Drain and add to ice bath. This will immediately stop the cooking process, reserving the sprouts nutrients and bright green colour.
2. Heat olive oil in a very large skillet on medium heat. Add sprouts to pan, cut side down, and cook until browned on bottom, about 5-8 minutes. Stir in shallots and garlic and cook until fragrant and soft; 1-2 minutes. Add white wine, salt and pepper, and stir. Remove from heat and serve.

*Tip*

• If you are making a holiday dinner, these can be kept warm in the oven until ready to serve.
• Always look for brussels sprouts that are tightly closed together - they cook better and will have had less room for any dirt to get into them when growing/ harvesting.
• A bit of shaved parmesan cheese is a welcome addition when serving.

Nutrition Information

Serving Size: 3/4 cup Calories: 97 Fat: 3.9g Saturated Fat: 0.6g Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 81mg Carbohydrates: 11.9g Sugar: 2.6g Fiber: 4.3g Protein: 4g

I'm thinking this will be a hit at any holiday dinner table :) 

Vanilla Bean Almond Butter

If there was one food item you couldn't live without, what would it be?

That's a tough question. I think I would have a hard time living without my collection of nut butters. 

Yes I said collection. I really must take a picture to show you one of these days.

One of my forever all-time favourite's is the maple cinnamon almond butter I make. Anyone I give it to dies and goes to heaven.

...and then asks for the recipe. hehe. It's a winner that's for sure.

Anyway, I got to thinking and I realized that I don't really have many nut butter's in my recipe collection here on the blog, which isn't very fitting seeing how much I love the stuff. Healthy fats are delicious you know.

So I've sworn to myself that I'm going to come up with many more nut butter recipes. From almond to peanut, and sunflower to hazelnut, you name it.

Today I've got an almond butter recipe that's got a pretty simple list of ingredients. Raw almonds that we roast for extra flavour (let's face it roasting makes everything better), a bit of sugar, pure vanilla extract, and a pinch a sea salt to round out the flavours.

Here's a quick 4 step example of what your almonds should look like on their road to becoming almond butter.

I could eat this all day long. Of course one of my favourite ways to enjoy any nut butter is on my oatmeal. Don't knock it until you try it. I've even got my relatives from England putting peanut butter on their oats and granola now. My second favourite way is straight off the spoon.

If you want to make an almond taste better, this is the way to do it.

Vanilla Bean Almond Butter gluten free, vegan, vegetarian | makes about 1 1/2 cups

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Ingredients:

• 2 cups raw almonds
• 1 tbsp cane sugar (or other unrefined sugar)
• 1 vanilla bean, slit lengthwise and all seeds scraped out (or 2 tsp vanilla extract)
• 1/4 tsp sea salt 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F.
2. Place the almonds on a baking sheet and roast them for 10-12 minutes, until fragrant and golden, stirring once during roasting.
3. Remove from oven and let the nuts cool for a few minutes, then place them in the bowl of your food processor. Process until you get a smooth and creamy nut butter to form; about 12-15 minutes. Scrape down the bowl of the food processor as necessary.
4. Add in the sugar, vanilla bean seeds (or extract), and sea salt. Process again to combine everything until incorporated.
5. Store in an air-tight jar or container. 

*Tips*

• Don't let the almonds cool down too much before processing. They are easier to turn into nut butter while they are still warm.
• I like to scrape down the food processor every few minutes or so to scrape down the sides and help the almonds along.

Nutrition Information

Serving Size: 2 tbsp Calories: 164 Fat: 13g Saturated Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 60mg Carbohydrates: 7.7g Sugar: 3g Fiber: 3g Protein: 6g