If you had told me as a kid that I would prefer roasted brussels sprouts to a Big Mac in adulthood, I would have thought you mad, or such a liar that you were destined to be a member of congress or CEO of a major energy corporation.
Growing up, the thought of wilted, lifeless, boiled to mush brussels sprouts for dinner would be reason enough to contemplate running away and living a life riding the rails and eating out of garage cans. I know trying to convince any of you that hate Brussels Sprouts is a waste of time.
Even suggesting that people keep an open mind about any subject and letting facts get in the way of deeply held beliefs that were just thought up and therefore set in stone seems to have gone the way of the dodo bird. Food is no exception. So I won’t bother.
Roasting vegetables is magical. If you know, you know. Having that tool in your kit to add super nutritious foods to your diet is a great way to help maintain your health.
Brussels Sprouts are loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. They help regulate blood sugar, repair cell damage, improve bone health, and reduce inflammation. Jean Claude Van Damme has the nickname “Muscles from Brussels”, but I think that moniker should go to this tiny yet tasty cabbage.
Adding this veggie to your diet will turn your immune system into the Kumite tournament champion:
You can just cut them, toss with a tiny splash of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper, then roast them for a delicious side. For those of you still refusing to try them like the six year old I used to be, I have a dish below that adds some creaminess and cheesiness to hide the fact that you are eating really healthy.
Of course, to maintain the overall nutrition, choose your weapons with care. Grass fed dairy, pasture raised small farm meats, and high quality oils are a must. I use Arkansas based Cooks Venture for my protein, because true pasture raised meats are almost impossible to find in local mega-marts:
This dish is so good, if you want leftovers, you are going to need to hide it, or label it as medical waste once you store it in the fridge. I know it disappears faster here than a Van Damme flying roundhouse kick to the face.
Give it a try, and you might just change your mind about brussels sprouts. Your immune system will also be able to do the chair splits, and who wouldn’t want that?
Brussels Sprouts bake with pork meatballs and chicken sausage
Ingredients:
1 package ground pork
1 package chicken sausage
1 bag organic brussels sprouts
1 red onion, sliced thin
1 package organic mushrooms, quartered
2 tbsp avocado oil
1 cup grass fed heavy cream
4 oz grass fed white cheddar cheese, shredded
3 sliced cooked bacon
1/2 cup almond flour
Sea salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder, oregano, sage,(amounts below)
Instructions:
Mix the pork with 1/2 tsp of salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder, and sage. Weigh out 7 to 8 ounce portions. Place on a baking sheet and shape into meatballs. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, flip the meatballs over, and bake for another 10 minutes. Move to a bowl and cover with foil to keep warm
Cut and chop your sprouts, mushrooms, and red onion. Drizzle with avocado oil and toss with a pinch of salt and pepper. Place a 12 inch cast iron skillet with 1 tbsp of avocado oil in the oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Once the oven hits temp, remove the skillet and add the veggies, bake for 17 minutes:
While it’s baking, slice the chicken sausage and air fry until crispy and delicious. When the timer goes off, remove the skillet again, stir, and add the heavy cream, about 1/4 of the shredded cheese, stir to combine. Then add the pork meatballs and chicken sausage, and stir to combine. Top with the rest of the shredded cheese and then sprinkle the almond flour on top. Bake another 12 minutes, then set the oven to broil to brown the top, usually 2 minutes:
Remove from the oven, crumble the bacon on top, and let it rest 10 minutes before serving to set. I made grilled asparagus as a side. Cut the ends and wash. Cook dry on a cast iron griddle until just soft, remove from heat, drizzle with olive oit, salt and pepper. Serve and enjoy:
See the list of all Jason Murphy’s recipes at www.mysaline.com/jason-murphy.