Holiday Sides: Brussels Sprouts, those Little Balls of Goodness!

Brussels sprouts are a cool season crop. In California these hearty winter vegetables are at their peak in October and November and can be found until the start of spring. Brussels sprouts are in the same family as cabbages, the Brassica or cruciferous family. They grow as buds on a long, thick, fibrous stalk. Packed with vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, beta carotene, folic acid, iron, magnesium, and selenium, they are also high in fiber. As to the origin of their name, it is believed that brussels sprouts were first cultivated in Brussels, the capital of Belgium around the 16th century.

These little balls of goodness are a popular choice for holiday side dishes and delicious when roasted, stir-fried, or steamed.

Several New Leaf Community Markets team members simply roast their brussels sprouts but each does it a bit differently. Stuart Cristol-Deman, New Leaf cheese buyer at the Half Moon Bay store, loves roasted brussels sprouts served with a gastrique (a cooked concoction of honey, apple cider vinegar, sea salt and fresh ground pepper). He also enjoys them shredded raw in a salad with sliced grapes, pumpkin seeds, and shredded carrot.

Andrew King, New Leaf’s merchandising planner, follows a simple recipe for roasting brussels sprouts. He first trims the woody ends off and cuts them in half. He tosses them in a baking dish with olive oil, salt, pepper, and a pinch of chili flakes. Then he roasts them at 450 degrees, stirring occasionally until they are browned.

Robin Ray, New Leaf Community Relations specialist, adds onion to her recipe for roasting. After trimming the ends and cutting the brussels sprouts in half, she adds ½-cup of chopped sweet onion, then tosses the mixture with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. The vegetables are placed on a large cookie sheet and roasted at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until browned.

Other recipes featuring roasted brussels sprouts supplied by New Leaf Community Markets:

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Squash with Dried Cranberries

Ingredients

• 1 lb butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1” chunks
• 1 lb brussels sprouts, trimmed and sliced lengthwise in half
• ½ cup dried cranberries (sweetened or unsweetened is fine)
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 tsp salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• In a large bowl, toss together brussels sprouts, butternut squash chunks, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp salt, and pepper. Mix until vegetables are coated evenly.
• Arrange veggies on a large baking sheet with brussels sprouts facing cut side-down. Be sure to leave some space between everything so they can get nice and caramelized.
• Roast for 20-30 minutes, tossing gently about halfway through, or until veggies are tender and caramelized/golden brown. During the last five minutes of roasting, scatter dried cranberries on baking sheet.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.
• In a small bowl, whisk together rice wine vinegar and Dijon. While whisking continuously, slowly pour in olive oil until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Gently toss roasted veggies with vinaigrette in a serving bowl until lightly dressed. Serve warm, room temperature, or chilled.

Roasted Fall Veggies and Tempeh

Ingredients

• 1 lb fresh brussels sprouts, halved
• 1 lb butternut squash, trimmed, scraped of seeds and cut into ½” cubes
• 8 oz package tempeh, cubed
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari)
• 2 tsbp white miso
• 3 tbsp tahini
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 6 cloves garlic, minced

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375F.
• Combine all ingredients in a bowl; mix until combined.
• Arrange on foil-lined baking sheet and roast for 35-40 minutes, turning about halfway through, or until browned.

Visit New Leaf for all your holiday cooking needs!