Tim Scallon/Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
Anyone who ever grew up on a farm knows the value of having a good farm dog. A good dog helps with the cows and always alerts you when a stranger shows up. Harry, one of our memorable companions was better at the latter. We got Harry as a pup and he was supposed to be full-blood collie. Yet as he grew, it was obvious that he had a lot of shepherd mixed in. We kept waiting for him to turn into a collie but, it appeared that the collie part may have been more rumor than fact. None the less, Harry was a good dog. He would eat just about anything. And he observed very good table etiquette. When you poured Harry’s kibble into his bowl, he would wait for you to invite him to begin. And then, rather than just digging into the middle of it, he would start at one side of the bowl and work his way back. Harry of course also got lots of table scraps. But there was one food that he didn’t much care for. And as a teenager, I would readily agree with him that if all brussels sprouts were shipped back to Belgium, no one would care.
Decades later after Harry was but a memory and I had mostly grown up, a popular appetizer in restaurants was Roasted Brussels Sprouts. Although not on the top ten list of popular vegetables, brussels sprouts can be a flavorful and upscale dish when properly prepared. When combined with a seasoned olive oil and roasted, the resulting caramelization transforms their strong cabbage aroma into a sweet and nutty flavor and the oven browning gives them a delightful presentation. Although generally available year-round, brussels sprouts are at their peak between September and March. As members of the cabbage family, they benefit from cooler temperatures. So, the sprouts in the store right now are slightly sweeter. It’s the best time of year to roast them.
This makes brussels sprouts perfect for the holidays. They can be an excellent side to your Thanksgiving or Christmas menu bringing in a non-starchy vegetable to what is traditionally a starch laden meal. Thanksgiving dinner with all its wonderful fresh foods typically takes a little longer to prepare. This moves the noon meal into the afternoon which for many households infringes on the sacred space of the gridiron. Having a flavor packed appetizer planned will go a long way in keeping hungry hands out of the kitchen until the meal is ready to serve.
Most recipes recommend turning vegetables halfway through roasting but I recently discovered that brussels sprouts are best when they are not turned while cooking. Halved brussels sprouts, when they are placed with the flat sides against the pan, essentially steam on the inside where the air is trapped. That means that the insides become perfectly tender, while the flat edges and tops turn dark brown or even a little charred. Don’t crowd them on the pan. Give them breathing room so that the escaping steam will not prevent them from crisping up. It’s better to use two pans, arranged on separate racks than to cram too many sprouts onto one pan. The best roasted brussels sprouts are crisp and brown on the outside, and tender on the inside.
Brussels sprouts are a cruciferous vegetable in the same family as broccoli, cabbage, collard greens and kale. They are packed with a host of vitamins and antioxidants that prevent cell damage. Eating brussels sprouts can reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
Harry may not have been much on brussels sprouts but he sure could run. We clocked him at 35 miles an hour while running alongside the pickup. Which goes to show that if we stay active, we can live a long healthy life even without eating brussels sprouts. But we would surely miss a very flavorful veggie. May the holidays bring your family together with delicious homecooked foods and good memories.
Tim Scallon is a registered dietitian nutritionist with years of experience practicing nutrition therapy in local hospitals and clinics, teaching nutrition and developing healthy recipes. He helped create the popular TV show Memorial Cooking Innovations celebrating the world of food and health. Memorial Cooking Innovations has featured in 62 cities across the country and is available on YouTube.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe; Serves: 6
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon coarse black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground thyme
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1½ pounds brussels sprouts, rinsed and trimmed of stems and yellow leaves
- ½ lemon for serving
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the oil and seasonings and stir until well blended.
- After trimming the brussels sprouts, cut them in half lengthwise from stem to top. Add the brussels sprouts to the mixing bowl and stir to coat with the seasoned oil. Arrange the sprouts on a parchment paper lined baking sheet cut sides down. Don’t crowd them so as to facilitate browning.
- Roast for 15-20 minutes until fork tender and golden to dark brown. Resist turning them. They will essentially steam on the inside while the flat side and tops turn a dark brown. You want the inside fork tender with an outside crunch.
- Squeeze the lemon over the sprouts and serve immediately. Sprinkle with additional kosher salt if desired.
Notes:
When choosing your sprouts, select small ones of roughly equal size. This will insure even cooking and optimum flavor.
Exchanges per serving: 3 vegetables, 1 Fat
Nutrients per serving: Calories: 133; Calories from fat: 45; Total Fat: 9g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 250mg; Total Carbohydrate: 11g; Dietary Fiber: 4g; Protein: 4g