Conquering this recipe reminded me of Charlie Brown’s travails with Lucy and that football. There would be Lucy, pleading with Charlie to take one more shot at kicking the football and promising she wasn’t going to mess with him anymoreâand always pulling away the ball at the last moment. The Brussels sprouts in this recipe played Lucy to my Charlie. They teased me with their offerings of wellnessâespecially a compound shown to keep DNA from fragmenting during cell reproductionâbut they kept refusing to play nice with every taste companion I threw their way. I was about to walk away for good when an email arrived from a friend who knew about my frustrations. She sent along a picture of a beautiful Brussels sprout stalk in her garden, with the small sprouts dotting the stalk, along with a caption that said, “Please give us another chance! We’ll be good!’ So I said, “Okay. One. Last. Chance.” And whaddya know? I finally achieved success. Roasting was the key, creating a golden-brown, sweet-tasting, crunchy treat.
Makes 4 servings
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1-teaspoon caraway seeds
1-tablespoon maple syrup
Pinch of red chili flakes
1 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half, rinsed and patted dry
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, caraway seeds, and red chili flakes. Add the trimmed Brussels sprouts to the mixture, toss well, then spread them in an even layer on the prepared pan. Season the Brussels sprouts with sea salt and roast until the outer leaves are crispy and the centers are tender all the way through, about 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a plate and serve immediately.
Variation: Get a little nutty. Place a ¼ cup of pecans on a baking sheet and toast at 350 degrees for 7 to 10 minutes, until aromatic and slightly browned. Chop coarsely before sprinkling on this yummy dish.
Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes
Storage: Store refrigerated in airtight container for 2 days
Photo Credit: Leo Gong
Reprinted with permission from The Longevity Kitchen: Satisfying Big-Flavor Recipes Featuring the Top 16 Age-Busting Power Foods Copyright © 2013 by Rebecca Katz with Mat Edelson, Ten Speed Press, a division of the Crown Publishing Group, Berkeley, CA.
