Roasted Brussels Sprouts

I never use to be a big fan of Brussels Sprouts…until I saw the light. Well, here is what happened… every year my family has a HUGE Thanksgiving feast with a beautiful mix of people; my friends, my two brothers’ friends, my parents friends, and some extended family.  And what it produces is simply magical!  Another thing it produces is new favorites, like Brussel Sprouts! A family friend started bringing Brussels Sprouts every year and it took a little while, but eventually it caught on and now we have Brussels Sprouts on the regular starting around this time of year 🙂  They have such a strong, distinct flavor, for some they really take some getting use to, but keep trying them and you will see the light just like I did.

They are also really, really easy to prepare and a jam packed with nutrients and phytochemicals; like Isothiocyanates, which are the sulfur-containing compounds found in cruciferous vegetables and studies show can decrease cancer risk. Cool right?! 

So don’t be a-feared friends, these little guys may look a little intimidating, but they are actually really easy to work with.

First remove the stems and any discolored leaves from the outside, which actually normally just come off when you cut off the stems…its like magic.

Then I slice them in half toss them on a lined baking sheet, with a little Olive Oil, coarse sea salt and fresh ground black pepper.

Pop it in the oven and roast on 375 degrees for 30-40mins until dark around the edges with some crispy parts.  They get this really delish dark brown crispiness to them.  Yum.  They can then be served like this.

Or you can add about a tsp of Balsamic Vinegar to them and toss around.  If this is your first time making them, hold the vinegar until you have a taste to just the roasted sprouts.

Enjoy!

I would love to hear your thoughts on Brussels Sprouts in the Comments below!