Posts Tagged ‘Cooking’

Many people will probably find it odd that I’m using “comfort food” and “Brussels Sprouts” in the same sentence, but Brussels Sprouts are a form of comfort food for me. While I love them roasted and served with nothing more than salt and pepper, cooler weather calls for a more robust preparation. One of my favorite ways to eat Brussels Sprouts is smothered in a cream sauce flavored with sherry and bacon. It’s so easy to make too.

First, you roast your sprouts in the oven. Just trim them, cut them in half, toss them with some oil, salt, and pepper, and place them on a baking sheet in an oven preheated to 475° F for about 15 minutes. They should caramelize a bit and develop some tasty brown parts! Prior to roasting them, I like to soak them in a salt-water solution for about an hour to remove some of the bitterness.

Roasting Brussels Sprouts

While my sprouts are roasting away in the oven, I prepare the cream sauce. I start by browning some chopped thick-cut bacon:

Browning the Bacon

Then I add one chopped shallots and some chopped cremini mushrooms to the pan with the bacon and sweat those for about 5 more minutes. Then I toss in one clove of garlic (chopped), cook for a minute, and add 1/4 cup sherry and 1/2 cup heavy cream to the pan. I then reduce this sauce by half, until it is thick and coats the back of a spoon.

Cream Sauce with Bacon, Shallots, Mushrooms, and Sherry

Once the sauce is thickened to my liking, I transfer the roasted sprouts from the oven into the pan with the sauce, add a bit of salt and pepper to taste, and toss everything until it is coated. Voila – roasted Brussels Sprouts with a Bacon-Sherry Cream Sauce!

Brussels Sprouts w/ Bacon-Sherry Cream Sauce

This is a seriously delicious way to eat your green veggies. Sprouts contain high levels of Vitamin C and Vitamin K and all kinds of other healthy compounds which help fight everything from cancer to cholesterol. So, if you’re going to eat your bacon, you might as well have it with some Brussels Sprouts.

I graze, which means I eat several small meals and snacks throughout the day. My family has a history of diabetes, so this is the only way I’ve been able to successfully keep my blood glucose levels in check. As such, I’m always on the lookout for healthy snacks. One can only eat so many apple slices with peanut butter! Since I love all things Nutella®, I was hooked the minute I saw this snack.

Chocolate Banana Graham Crackers

Hello! Who doesn’t love the combination of Nutella® and bananas?! This recipe (courtesy of Delish) makes the perfect single-serving snack.

INGREDIENTS:

* 1 graham cracker, broken into 2 rectangles

* 1/2 teaspoon Nutella® or other chocolate-hazelnut spread, divided

* 2 slices banana, about 2 inches long

* 1/2 teaspoon sweetened shredded coconut, toasted if desired, divided

DIRECTIONS:

Spread each graham cracker piece with 1/4 teaspoon Nutella and top with a slice of banana and a sprinkling of coconut.

If you’re feeling super industrious, you can make your own Graham crackers. I like to use Alton Brown’s Graham Cracker recipe, which uses actual Graham flour. Some recipes substitute regular flour, but it’s pretty easy to find Graham flour at Whole Foods or other specialty markets.

Homemade Graham Crackers a la Alton Brown