There are a few foods that I claim not to like... even though I've never had them. Brussels sprouts has been at the top of that list for many years. I've heard Paul talk highly about them (and even recall him eating them for a snack when we visited his parents for Christmas). One thing I adore about my husband is how he eats whatever I make-- even if he doesn't like some of the ingredients i.e. tomatoes and green beans. Since he's always eating what I want, I decided to go out on a limb and try fixing up some of these weird tiny cabbages on his behalf. To ensure the whole meal wasn't a bust, I picked a recipe with a staple that I'm mildly addicted to: sweet potatoes. The recipe was meant to be served as a side but I didn't want leftovers so we ate it as the main dish.
The verdict: Simple to make and actually tasty! I was prepared to gag throughout dinner but I truly liked it. I will say, it's best hot. The more it cooled the more I began to think"... maybe this is a little weird." Even Vince said, "Hey, I like this, Mom!"
We won't eat this all the time, but when I'm feeling wild I'll throw it into the meal rotation for sure.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed
- 1 large sweet potato (1 pound)
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed (I used 2 cloves minced garlic)
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon salt
- pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- fresh thyme, to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
- Trim your Brussels by cutting off the little brown end. If there are any yellow leaves, pull them off. Cut any large ones in half. Add to a large bowl.
- Peel your sweet potato and chop into 1-2 inch pieces. Add to the large bowl.
- Smash 2 cloves of garlic and add it to the bowl.
- Pour 1/3 cup olive oil over the vegetables.
- Add cumin, garlic salt, salt, and pepper to taste. Stir to coat.
- (Line a large sheet pan with foil if you want super easy cleanup)
- Drizzle a little olive oil onto the sheet pan and rub it all over the pan (or foil) with your hand. Or you could spray it really well with nonstick spray.
- Pour the veggies onto the pan.
- Roast at 400 for about 40-45 minutes. The veggies are done when they are brown and a fork slides into them easily.
- Place the veggies in a serving bowl and toss with 1-2 tablespoons red wine vinegar to taste. Garnish with fresh thyme if you want. Eat hot!
Notes
The garlic is there to add flavor, not necessarily to be eaten, although I do think it's quite tasty.
If
you want to reheat these, take them out of the oven and let cool. (Skip
adding the red wine vinegar.) Store in a tupperware in the fridge for
up to 2 days. When you are ready to eat, spread the veggies on a greased
pan and roast at 400 for about 5-10 minutes until you can hear them
sizzling and they are hot. Remove from the oven, add a little red wine
vinegar, and serve!
