Delicious Food And Beverage fan-Healthy Care And Tips

One thing about my mandolin is I'm a little scared of it. Or at least, of cutting my fingers off. So when I made the shaved brussel sprout salad over the weekend, I was left with about half of each sprout because I didn't want my fingers to get too close to the blade and the sprouts were too small for the hang guard. What to do with those leftover halves? Why, roasted brussel sprouts of course!

I'm a believer that the only way to cook brussel sprouts is to roast them until they are crispy and just on this side of burnt. Simple flavors--olive oil, a few garlic cloves, salt, and pepper. The perfect winter side dish.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Some brussel sprouts
6 garlic cloves, peeled
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Slice sprouts in half length-wise and place with garlic cloves in a baking pan.
3. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.
4. Bake in the oven until sprouts are soft and the outer leaves are crispy and garlic cloves are soft and browned, stirring occasionally, 40-60 minutes.

The cost:
sprouts: pre-existing collateral damage (or 2.49 for a bag)
garlic: .40

Grant total: Cheap

Sorry I have been remiss in posting, it was an incredibly busy week so I didn't cook much and I had little brain power left to think of creative posts :)

A friend invited me for Saturday lunch this week and asked me to bring a salad; she's all about sustainability and asked me to choose seasonal ingredients, so I decided on a shaved brussel sprout salad with a tangy-sweet balsamic vinaigrette, toasted pine nuts and dried cranberries.

Now for those of you making a face at the brussel sprouts: Really, don't knock it 'til you try it. I shaved them thinly with my mandolin, so it was pretty much like eating a cabbage salad, and the dressing and cranberries offset the slight bitterness very well. That being said, I won't be insulted if you don't want to use the brussel sprouts and you can easily substitute a cole slaw mix, or a mix of red and green sliced cabbage instead.

Note: I used agave for the first time over Thanksgiving because my sister didn't have honey on hand, and I realized it is great for dressings because it is liquid at room temperature and doesn't clump like honey does; if you don't have agave, honey or sugar is a fine substitute.

Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad

Ingredients:

15-20 brussel sprouts
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp agave nectar
1 tsp light olive or vegetable oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/4 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

1. Slice brussel sprouts thinly with a mandolin (or a knife).
2. Whisk together vinegar, agave, oil and spices.
3. Combine brussel sprouts, pine nuts and cranberries in a bowl. Add dressing 5-10 minutes before serving so the brussel sprouts have a chance to soak up the flavor.

The cost:
brussel sprouts: 4.98
agave: 2.99
pine nuts: 7.99
cranberries: .49

Grant total: $16.45 (Note: This salad was expensive because I had to purchase both the agave and pine nuts, but now they are in my pantry)