Turning any Brussel sprout hater into a Brussel sprout lover!
To be honest, Brussel sprouts were never a favourite when growing up. Still to this day, they hardly make a feature in the kitchen even though I know how nutritious they are (see end of the post for more information). However, coming across them at the local supermarket I decided to give them another try.
And I’m sold.
By spicing them up with warm Moroccan flavours and pairing it with fresh dressing, they turned into the hero of a delicious vegetarian option. Enjoy it as a main with a nutty wholegrain such as couscous or bulgur wheat, or include it as a vegetable side. The perfect vegetable side for those cooler Autumn days. This meal becomes very cost effective once you add in lentils as it stretches the protein content of the dish. However, it does contain a decent amount of fiber so my suggestion is to enjoy it as a small serving first before diving in and having it as a main meal.
Serving Size: Serves 4 – 6 (as a side)
Prep Time: 10 minutes (+ cooking time if using dry lentils)
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 medium red onion, diced
- 1/2 leek, trimmed and thinly sliced (optional)
- 300 g Brussels sprouts, thinly shaved
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) ground cumin
- 1 tsp (5 mL) ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) dried chili flakes or chili powder
- 1 x 400g tin brown lentils, rinsed and drained (or 1.5 cups cooked lentils)
- 1/2 large lemon
- Salt and black pepper
- 1/4 cup (40 g) raisins, pre – soaked in warm water and drained (optional)
Lemon Tahini Dressing
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) tahini (sesame paste)
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice (add more if you want)
- 1 tsp (5 mL) honey or syrup
- 3 – 4 Tbsp (60 mL) warm water
Method:
- Heat a large non – stick frying pan on a medium heat. Add the onion and leek, season with salt and black pepper and cook for about 5 minutes or until softened. Add splashes of water to prevent the onion from sticking to the pan.
- Add the shaved Brussel sprouts and cook for 7 – 8 minutes, adding additional splashes of water.
- Meanwhile, make the lemon – tahini dressing by adding all ingredients into a small bowl and whisking until smooth. Set aside.
- Add the spices and lentils and cook for 5 minutes or until the lentils are tender and warmed through and the spices have been well incorporated. Taste and season accordingly. Remove from the heat.
- Add in freshly squeeze lemon juice and raisins (if using) and mix well.
- Plate up and drizzle with the lemon tahini dressing. Serve with a small side of bulgur wheat, barley or wholewheat couscous.
A quick and easy meat free dish to make any day of the week!
Dietitian’s Notes:
Brussel sprouts:
- Nutrient Profile: As a member of the cruciferous vegetable family, these cute little green vegetables are very nutrient dense and are packed with fiber.
- They contain several anti – oxidants such as Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Isothiocyanates (to name a few), flavonoids and also provide anti – inflammatory and detoxification benefits (mainly due to high concentrations of the glucosinolates found in Brussel sprouts).
- Cooking: The cooking method (steam, boil, raw and roast) will change the texture and flavour profile of these cruciferous vegetables. In this dish, they are thinly shaven and sautéed. Another favourite method is roasting. Give them a good rinse and trim off the hard stems. Cut them in half, toss with 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Spread in a single layer on baking paper and roast for 20 minutes at 180C, turning them half way to brown evenly.
NB: If you’ve tried them one way and dislike them, try cook them in another way. You might be pleasantly surprised!
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