Brussels Sprouts : Good For You

Brussels sprouts are rich in many valuable nutrients, and not just to be enjoyed at Christmas. These 'mini cabbages' have a nutty, distinct flavour but they are seen as "The quintessential Christmas dinner veg. Brussels sprouts are thought to have been cultivated in Belgium in the 16th century - hence the name. Although they're related to cabbage - they even look like a miniature, compact version - they have a sweet, nutty flavour, which some people can find bitter. They grow in multiple rows along a thick, central stalk.

Availability

Brussels sprouts are at their best over the winter months, coming in to season in October and lasting through until March.

Choose the best

Plump, bright green heads (the smaller, the sweeter) with tightly packed leaves. If you can buy them still attached to their long central stalk, so much the better - they'll keep fresh for longer that way.

Prepare it

If the sprouts are still on the stalk, twist each one off, trim any loose, yellow or damaged leaves, wash, then trim the base. Some people cut a cross in the base to make sure they cook evenly but with smaller ones it's not necessary, as it can cause them to go mushy. Larger ones can be cut in half.

To boil, put into a pan with some salt, cover with boiling water, bring back to the boil and cook,
covered, for 5-10 minutes. They take 5-10 minutes to steam.

To stir fry, halve or slice finely and cook for about 10 minutes. Sprouts cook very quickly, and if overcooked are quite unpleasant, so test them regularly by piercing with a knife.

Store it

In a dark, cool place or the fridge for four days.

Cook it

Stir fry oil with onions and ginger; add cooked chestnuts at Christmas; boil until al dente (firm to the bite), then quickly pan fry with diced pancetta and chopped garlic."

Above words from here
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/glossary/brussels-sprouts

... more Brussels Sprouts recipe ideas coming soon  

All the best Jan

As I just posted on t'blog, I've now had two batches. The first lot were OK, the second lot were tiny and I think I overcooked them a bit.

Mother had a fetish for not buying them until they'd been frosted and there's some point to that, IME they do taste better.

I like them on the stem, they keep longer and it's one less operation for the farmer to do, but don't put them outside the back door - as some people do - unless you can keep the pigeons away.

I try and get 'em on the stalk with the brussels tops about a week before christmas and I hang the stalk from a hook on the ceiling inside the shed-Keeps 'em cool enough without freezing I find.

I keep them in the sunroom which has no radiators, similar situation in that they stay cool but not frozen. Loose ones I keep in the fridge where they could last a week except I've usually eaten them by then.

The way things are going this year I'll probably still have runner beans by Christmas.

Paul1976 wrote:I try and get 'em on the stalk with the brussels tops about a week before christmas and I hang the stalk from a hook on the ceiling inside the shed-Keeps 'em cool enough without freezing I find.

He mentioned Christmas and it's only October.

@Jan1 also mentioned that time of year. I eat Brussels sprouts all year round, some home grown and some home frozen. They are also good blended with soup of various kinds.

merrylizard1314 wrote:@Jan1 also mentioned  that time of year. I eat Brussels sprouts all year round, some home grown and some home frozen. They are also good blended with soup of various kinds.

... love those ideas!  

I also love mentioning Christmas!

I also love eating Brussels sprouts all year round!

I did spot this recipe idea - thought it worth sharing too.





Method

1. Heat a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add bacon, and sauté for 5 minutes or until bacon begins to brown. Remove pan from heat. Remove the bacon from pan with a slotted spoon, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in pan (discard the remaining drippings).
2. Return pan to medium-high heat, and stir in bacon, shallot, and Brussels sprouts; sauté 4 minutes. Add garlic, and saute for 4 minutes or until garlic begins to brown, stirring frequently. Add the chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes or until the broth mostly evaporates and the sprouts are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in salt and pepper.

Then all you have to do is enjoy them with some nice slices of roast chicken or roast beef or something else of your choice!

Recipe idea from here
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/brussels-sprouts-bacon

All the best Jan

I peel some chestnuts and boil them briefly with an equal number of sprouts.

Then I eat them with a pheasant wrapped in bacon and roasted, and a horse mushroom (or portobello) fried in olive oil. Maybe later this week or not much after the pheasants will be in the butcher's <drools> the one in the garden just now is distinctly pushing his luck.

You've got me drooling too ...

Pheasant wrapped in bacon and served with brussels and mushrooms ...

As one of our Grandson's may say YUM  YUM  YUM

All the best Jan

This is a great recipe idea from Christopher Clark ... he just loves 'simple, delicious cooking for optimal health and wellness'. Celeriac is a low carbers super food - well surely almost anyone's super food, and combined with Brussels sprouts, that lovely herb - Rosemary - and duck fat (which I love) it's a winner. You can just taste this dish already can't you? So read on and do make this dish soon ... you'll be so pleased you did!

Ingredients:
Serves Four
1 celeriac, peeled and chopped into small-bite pieces
1/2 pound Brussels sprouts, stems removed and sliced into halves
2-3 tablespoons fresh rosemary, stems removed, finely chopped
4 tablespoons duck fat or fat of your choice
Salt and pepper

Method:
Peel the celeriac. Chop into bite-size pieces. Prepare the rosemary and Brussels sprouts. A few tablespoons of finely chopped rosemary will suffice.

Toss the chopped celeriac, Brussels sprouts, and rosemary with the duck fat, a few pinches of salt, and some black pepper. Roast at 375F for about 40 minutes. Remove from oven when veggies are tender and lightly browned.

You can view the recipe with a step by step guide here
http://www.christopherjamesclark.com/blog/roasted-celeriac-and-brussels-sprouts-w-rosemary-and-duck-fat/

For more details about celeriac see here
http://thelowcarbdiabetic.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/celeriac-great-low-carb-vegetable-plus.html

All the best Jan

Sounds good!

I usually have the rosemary with lamb chops, but since I haven't had so many lamb chops for a while, the rosemary tree is starting to block out the light from the kitchen window.

chris c wrote:Sounds good!

I usually have the rosemary with lamb chops, but since I haven't had so many lamb chops for a while, the rosemary tree is starting to block out the light from the kitchen window.

Same here,Rosemary and sage bushes have gone beserk this year and I've had to give them a major trim but my mint that I'd had for a few years suddenly just died out this year-I suspect the wife who HATES mint with a passion.

I wish my mint would die! That and the lemon balm takes over every square inch of uncultivated soil. At least they smell good when I feed them through the shredder and into the compost bins.

I don't have sage but I do have huge patches of marjoram which is also taking over vast acreages. I inherited some borage also in what was originally a herb bed, but when a friend gave me some which I put the other end of the garden it reached critical mass and is now competing with the others to fill every untended space. There's such a thing as too much ground cover . . .

Lovely Brussels Sprouts dish from Diet Doctor site

Ingredients:

4 servings
1¼ lbs (600 g) fresh Brussels sprouts
2–3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried rosemary or thyme
Salt and pepper
3–4 oz. (100 g) shaved Parmesan cheese

Just in time for tomorrow's Sunday lunch

Link here
http://www.dietdoctor.com/recipes/oven-roasted-brussels-sprouts-with-parmesan-cheese

Now the word 'Yum' comes to mind ...  

All the best Jan

Method:
1. Heat the oil in a medium pan and fry the onions over a medium heat until soft, 8-10 minutes. Meanwhile, roughly chop half the sprouts and cut the rest into halves or quarters, depending on size.
2. Add the garlic to the pan and stir-fry for 1 minute, then add the chopped sprouts and stock, cover with a lid and bring to the boil. Take the pan off the heat and leave to cool slightly.
3. Purée the soup. Stir the cream, remaining sprouts, cheese and some seasoning into the pan and simmer for 2-3 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and a scattering of extra cheese.

Kitchen secret: if you love sprouts so much you don't have any leftovers, simply cook raw sprouts in boiling salted water for 8-10 minutes, or until tender.

... Brussels sprouts are thought to have been cultivated in Belgium in the 16th century - hence the name. They are rich in many valuable nutrients - see below

Had some tonight, normally I just boil them briefly after stripping off the outer leaves that are damaged. I don't understand the concept of "leftover" sprouts, they all go straight down the hatch.

I had some more today, this time with chestnuts. Now I have to think what to do with the purple sprouting broccoli . . . another nutrition winner. Oh perhaps I'll have it with the next dose of liver.

Be careful you don't do what I just did and let the sprouts boil dry and burn.

Oh hang on

nom nom nom

actually they were excellent! I shall experiment further . . .

Sprouts are such a great food, and many of the supermarkets have reduced their prices by quite a margin.
I bought some yesterday ... so many good recipes around to cook them in different ways.

I know sometimes it is good just to enjoy Brussels with nothing added, but I thought this looked a great dish



Ingredients:
Serves 8
500g (1lb) sprouts, quartered
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
30g (1 1/4oz) whole blanched almonds
2 garlic cloves, sliced
60g (2 1/2oz) dried cranberries
50ml (2fl oz) balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp brown sugar

Method:
1. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil, add the sprouts and cook for 3 minutes, or until al dente. Drain well, then refresh under cold water.
2. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a frying pan, add the almonds then gently fry for 3-4 minutes, until just golden. Drain on kitchen paper and set aside.
3. When ready to serve, add 2 tbsp oil to the pan and gently fry the garlic for 2-3 minutes, until soft. Stir in the cranberries, add the vinegar and sugar then cook for 30 seconds. Add the sprouts and fry over a high heat, until warmed through. Season to taste and serve topped with the almonds.

Helpful tip:
Blanch the sprouts on the morning of cooking and reheat just before serving.

Each serving:
Carbohydrate 12.1g Protein 3.1g Fibre 0.5g Fat 8.6g

Also shown here with relevant links
http://thelowcarbdiabetic.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/sauteed-sprouts-with-almonds-and.html

All the best Jan

Hmmm, hadn't thought of eating them with almonds. I mean, I like almonds but usually do the sprouts with chestnuts, when available. Definitely will try this. I wonder if it would work with blueberries?

chris c wrote:Hmmm, hadn't thought of eating them with almonds. I mean, I like almonds but usually do the sprouts with chestnuts, when available. Definitely will try this. I wonder if it would work with blueberries?

"I wonder if it would work with blueberries?"

I think it would ... but there's only one way to find out
Give it a try

All the best Jan

Later! The purple sprouting broccoli just came back so I have to catch up on eating that first . . .

Just in case you should need reminding!

Brussels Sprouts are:

High in Nutrients-

Brussels sprouts are low in calories but high in fibre, vitamins and minerals.
Here are some of the major nutrients in a half cup (78 grams) of cooked Brussels sprouts:
Calories: 28
Protein: 2 grams
Carbs: 6 grams
Fibre: 2 grams
Vitamin K: 137% of the RDI
Vitamin C: 81% of the RDI
Vitamin A: 12% of the RDI
Folate: 12% of the RDI
Manganese: 9% of the RDI
Brussels sprouts are especially rich in vitamin K, which is necessary for blood clotting and bone health. They’re also high in vitamin C, an antioxidant that helps promote iron absorption and is involved in tissue repair and immune function. What’s more, their high fibre content helps support regularity and gut health. In addition to the nutrients above, Brussels sprouts contain small amounts of vitamin B6, potassium, iron, thiamine, magnesium and phosphorus.

Read more here
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-brussels-sprouts

Are they on your shopping list?

All the best Jan

Jan1 wrote:[center]

Are they on your shopping list?

All the best Jan

Always while they are in season. One of my favourite accompaniments to meat of all kinds. This winter they have been fairly consistently good, unlike the PSB.