Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Brussels Sprouts - Triumph or tragedy?

Remember when I told you all I was looking to try brussels sprouts?  I know, seems like a lifetime ago.  I think the Mr. was hoping I would forget or keeping buying them with good intentions and end up throwing them out.  The night finally came that I was ready to give it a go and honestly it was the worst night to do it.  I'd been baking all day, still had a house to clean and was stressed to the max.  But I said "tonight's the night" and I had him cut them in half and get them back to me.  He was nervous.  He remembers the smell of sulfur filling the air and his mouth when he was a kid and to him, nothing could improve that in his mind.  Well that only happens if you overcook or over-steam them which I had no intention of doing.  I took the sprout halves and my spray mister and misted them with olive oil.  I tossed them in garlic, added some black pepper and cut up one slice of low sodium bacon and put them in a glass pan.  I roasted them for about 30 minutes and got this:


The Mr was willing to choke them down since they smelled good and I was anxious to try them finally to see what I thought.  I took my first bite and they were good.  The more I ate, the more I loved them.  They tasted like the insides of a really good egg roll with a smoky bacon flavor.  The Mr had a bit of a mental block with them but in the end he said he would absolutely eat them again if I prepared them that way and would try them any other way.  I made them again the same way and they were the only side dish (I had rice to temper them for him last time) and the Mr ate them.  They're not his favorite but I'll confess, they're my new favorite.  I will so be stocking up on these as much as possible when they're in peak season, which I think is starting to dwindle if I'm not mistaken.  Boo!  I'm anxious to try a slaw recipe I've got whirling in my noggin and of course you know I'll give you my feedback on those!

When someone else is a guinea pig for a food and likes it, does it influence you to give it a chance you might not have on your own?


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16 comments:

  1. I do sometimes try things based on other people's opinions (sometimes to my detriment), but I usually go by smell and 53 years of finickiness. :)

    I didn't have success with the Brussels Sprouts when I tried them earlier this fall, but I didn't think to include bacon. That might have helped! I'll try to remember that for next fall.

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  2. Absolutely. I am always open to new foods or adventures. So if a good friend or family raves about something I will give it a go and make up by own 2 cents about it.

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  3. I have to say that I can eat them that way any time. Who knew all you had to do was cook them properly and add bacon?

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  4. I love them and bacon is definitely a good way to add a bit of flavor. Roasting them is my favorite way to eat them too! Good for you for trying them even though they have such a hideous reputation.

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  5. I used to "hate" them as well until I roasted them. Now LOVE THEM! I also saute them with a little olive oil and garlic. Yummy!

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  6. Earlier this month based on a friends suggestion I tried asparagus. My memory was of a vegetable tasting much like wood. I'm now adding it to my veggie rotation, properly steamed it is delicious!

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  7. Roasting veggies of almost any kind makes them better, in my book--what a great way to prepare them! I do sometimes let others' opinions sway me somewhat, but in the end it's usually based on my own experience and how adventurous I'm feeling at the time.

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  8. It looks delicious! I like sprouts, but somehow it seems more tempting with bacon ;)

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  9. I have always been closed minded about veggies in particular...I suppose a lifetime of why eat those when I can have (insert high cal food here) instead? But, I am finding myself more willing to 'try' things...and finding I do like them more than I thought I did! Still not sure about brussels sprouts, though....:)

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  10. YUM YUM YUM YUM! I gotta get me some more brussel sprouts! I'm so glad you like them! Yours looks DELICIOUS!

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  11. Adding bacon to anything makes it better. I'm kind of picky, but I'm pretty willing to try any kind of fruit or veggie. It's convincing hubby that a meal without meat can still be supper that's the hard part.

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  12. The bacon definitely made them taste amazing and I only used one piece of low sodium bacon so it was only 18 add'l calories and 1.5g fat split between the two of us. So definitely worth it! YUM!

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  13. I love brussels if they are prepared right! Roasted is a perfect way to make them

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  14. I always had them as a tween/teen cooked in butter sauce, I think it was. I have 1 kid out of 4 who will eat them with me. BUT, since trying to eat differently, I tried them roasted with olive oil and sea salt. Never thought about the garlic. I'm not real big on bacon, but that sounds interesting. I still can't get the husband to eat them. lol. I buy mine frozen and thaw them in the fridge fully before cooking mine.

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  15. I'm one of those whimpy people who listened to the bad reputation of brussels sprouts and never tried them. I will have to try them your way, they look good!

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  16. Found your blog tonight through Can You Stay for Dinner. Brussells Sprouts are one of my favorites too and roasting is the way to go. If you like this, look up Martha Stewarts recipe - she has one similar but adds Granny Smith apples. Yum. A big pan of roasted vegetables (sprouts, asparagus, green beans, carrots, onion, tomato, sweet potato, whatever) tossed with olive oil, salt, pepper and fresh thyme is one of my favorite meals or great side dish to simple grilled meats.

    And to add another vegetable you probably hated as a kid - beets! Look up Simply Recipies dot com and find her recipe for sprouts with golden beets. Oh my - one of the best combinations I have ever eaten. Nothing like the beets in a can from childhood.

    Anyway - am enjoying your blog tonight. On my own quest to loose 40 pounds!

    -Elizabeth

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