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

Print or email this recipe

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 :) 

Millet with Butternut Squash & Kale

Just like I promised I'm back with a new recipe this week featuring millet!

If you're new to my "Great Grain's" series you can check out my first post Great Grains: Millet where I've introduced millet as the first grain of the series and given a detailed description of the grain including nutritional benefits, general cooking, uses etc. Otherwise, if you know your grains and seeds well, then I've got a delicious side dish for you.

But first I have to share some exciting news. I have been featured on Spry Living! They are the companion website for Spry magazine, a newspaper-distributed health and wellness publication reaching 9 million households monthly. Their website is a great resource recipes, nutrition, fitness, weight loss, and healthy living. I was contacted about being featured earlier last month, so I've been keeping it under wraps somewhat until now. Something that's hard to do when you're brimming with excitement.

Spry living is currently running a new series of recipes this month for healthy casseroles and my recipe for Baked Ziti and Marinara Sauce is currently being featured as part a part of it. The series is called Health in 30: Healthy Casseroles. Every day for the month of February they post a new casserole dish that is health minded but just as warm, delicious and comforting.

There's that Ziti!

Now getting back to today's recipe...

I've used a little trick for this one. Instead of directly adding herbs (fresh or dried) to the recipe, this time I decided to use a Bouquet Garni, which is French for a little bundle of herbs tied together with string and mainly used in, but not limited to soup, stock, and stews.  Have you ever heard of it or used one before? The bouquet of herbs are cooked with the dish but removed before consuming. Of course there is also the dried version where you take your dried herbs, wrap them up in a piece of cheesecloth and tie it together with a piece of string so they don't spill out. For easiness you can leave one end of the string longer to tie to the handle of the soup pot. When your done you wont have to go fishing for it.

For the millet I used nice little bouquet of fresh thyme.

Fresh, easy, and full of flavour. Just the way I like it.

Millet with Butternut Squash & Kale {Gluten Free, Vegetarian, Vegan}

Print or Text This Recipe

(serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves of garlic, passed through a garlic press
• 3 shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 cup millet, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups no-salt added chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 cups butternut squash, peeled and diced
• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme, tied together with string or kitchen twine (also know as a Bouquet Garni)
• 2 cups chopped baby kale, washed and stems removed
• sea salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the millet and toast for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Add broth, diced squash, and thyme sprigs and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the squash tender.
5. Gently stir in the chopped kale to wilt, which will only take 1-2 minutes.
6. Remove from heat and season with a pinch of salt and pepper if desired.
7. Serve warm.

**Notes** 

• You may also store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator and reheat for lunches and weeknights. This dish can also be served cold. 
• If gluten intolerant, Pacific Foods broths are all certified gluten free.

Happy Valentine's Day!

If you haven't already, make sure you eat something chocolatey!