Photo Courtesy of: marcoborges.com
Brussels sprouts aren’t everyone’s favorite vegetable… by a long shot. But you know what? They haven’t been given a proper introduction! You can’t really say “Hello!” when you’ve been steamed, buttered and salted and you’re leaking all over the other side dishes. At that point, you’re the vegetable that sits on the side of the plate waiting for a cute little side dish to come over and ask you to spoon.
It’s time for brussels sprouts to make a comeback. They’re a zero point food, they’re really quite tasty when they’re not steamed and leaky, but most of all, they’re cute! Think of them as the ugly ducklings of the vegetable world. They can be truly beautiful. My sister and I used to call them “barbie cabbages” because they were so tiny and fun to play with. The only reason I liked them when I was younger was because I loved to peel off each steamed leafy layer and eat them. I thought it would make me skinnier because it would take longer to eat. (Oh silly pre-teen logic. I thought the same thing about skittles and fried rice too.)
I was looking at my Foodgawker favorites this morning for a great recipe to share and this one from Slice of Feist really caught my eye! Beautiful pictures, great instructions and after figuring out the points value, I knew I had to share! Here’s her recipe almost verbatim.
Photo Courtesy of: http://mrlentzphotography.com/ (Evan Lentz)
Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts with Turkey Bacon (adapted from Slice of Feist)
Servings: 3
PointsPlus Per Serving: 7
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Brussels Sprouts rinsed, trimmed and sliced in half
- 2 Tablespoons Light Butter, 3 PP
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil (she 4 all together, but just split it up and use some Pam Cooking Spray too), 7 PP
- 1/4 of a Sweet Yellow Onion chopped
- 1 Garlic Clove Crushed
- 3 Slices Turkey Bacon roughly chopped, 2 PP
- 1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
- 3/4 Cup Chicken Broth
- Salt and Pepper
- 1/4 Cup Pecan Pieces, 5 PP
Directions
1. Heat a large cast iron skillet on medium high. Add your butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet. Once butter is melted, add your Brussels sprouts. Cook for about 5-8 minutes, stirring and allowing Brussels sprouts to brown up a bit.
2. Add your Turkey Bacon and Onions, cooking and stirring for about 10 minutes, allowing things to brown up nicely.
3. Add your Garlic clove and cook for about a minute. Then add your Balsamic Vinegar and Chicken Broth. Cook for about 15-20 minutes, allowing things to simmer and reduce. If you need, add more broth to continue cooking things. Salt and pepper to taste.
4. Transfer Brussels Sprouts to a lovely serving platter, and place the cast iron skillet back on the heat. Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil and then pop the pecans in the pan. Cook for about 3-5 minutes, stirring and allowing things to toast up. Once the nuts begin to brown and become fragrant, turn the heat off and sprinkle with a bit of salt. Toss on top of the Brussels Sprouts! Tadah!
Doesn’t that all just sound so wonderful? I’ve definitely put brussels sprouts on my grocery list for the next trip! This recipe gives you healthy oils, protein from the nuts and TB and a great serving of vegetables! You’ll eat every last bite.
4 Comments
Hey lady! Thanks for the link back! Hope you make this rockin’ dish…cuz you’ll dig it! Miss Slice
[...] I am always finding new and interesting recipes! (Side note – I finally made those brussels sprouts that I posted a recipe for on here and they were sensational! My girlfriend said they were the best vegetables she’s [...]
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