Tag Archives: Brussels sprouts

Swordfish Piccata with Smashed Cauliflower and Caramelized Brussels Sprouts

Posted on by
Reply

I’ll bet you have plenty of your own creative ideas for putting garlicky smashed cauliflower to good use. Go you! Even so, I can’t resist directing you to a dish I created in 2011, found here. Using a classic piccata sauce of white wine, lemon, and capers, my recipe takes it up a notch with creamy smashed cauliflower and caramelized Brussels sprouts for even more color and flavor. It truly is a must for swordfish lovers.

SwordPiccata

Other fishes would work nicely in this dish, too, like sole or flounder. (Just make sure to follow the cooking instructions here for thinner fillets.) You could also easily prepare this meal with another protein of your own choosing; chicken is classic, and I’ll bet tofu would be terrific.

So, whether you are a Christian reader who participates in the lenten tradition of eating fish on Fridays or are just looking for another sublime supper, this recipe is for you.

And I sincerely hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

P.K. NewbyDr. P. K. Newby is a nutrition scientist and educator with expertise in the prevention of obesity and chronic diseases through diet and the relations between agriculture, food production, and public health. She is currently training for the Boston Marathon, her third (more here, and here). She brings together her passions for food, cooking, science, and sustainability through her writing and videos to help people eat their way towards better health, one delectable bite at a time. If you like what you see here at The Nutrition Doctor is In the Kitchen, please subscribe to my blog from the home page, become a fan on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, check out my food porn on Pinterest, watch my cooking videos on YouTube, and peruse my recipe page for soups, salads, seafood, sweets, and more. Thanks for reading!

Kale Salad with Brussels Sprouts, Marcona Almonds, and Dijon Vinaigrette

Posted on by
Reply
KaleAlmond_SaladCrop

One of my favorite salads, equally good with or without cheese.

In case you think the holidays for me are all biscotti and champagne and cookie swaps all the time, I can assure you it’s not true. Yes, I enjoy my holiday favorites, as my regular readers know, but I’m always cognizant of calories when making dietary choices: I do, in fact, follow my own tips for preventing holiday weight gain.

Which is exactly why I make sure to balance out the extra energy I consume during the holidays by eating fewer calories on other days. (And, of course making sure to get in as much exercise as I can.) I’ve thus enjoyed a number of excellent ”big salads for dinner” in the past month, just as I do throughout the entire year.

I had picked up some gorgeous purple-tinged baby kale from the farm where we bought our tree, so it was time to recreate one of my favorite winter salads. Indeed, last year’s kale salad with roasted Brussels sprouts, almonds, and dijon vinaigrette rocked my cruciferous world, so I encourage you to read the story and recipe here for more details. Today’s variant isn’t much different, other than the fact that I used Marcona almonds and a basic maple dijon vinaigrette (video here). And it’s a better photo.

Hence this post.

Because this salad deserves it.

KaleAlmond_Fork

P.K. NewbyDr. P. K. Newby is a nutrition scientist and educator with expertise in the prevention of obesity and chronic diseases through diet and the relations between agriculture, food production, and public health. She is currently training for the Boston Marathon, her third (more here, and here). She brings together her passions for food, cooking, science, and sustainability through her writing and videos to help people eat their way towards better health, one delectable bite at a time. If you like what you see here at The Nutrition Doctor is In the Kitchen, please subscribe to my blog from the home page, become a fan on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, check out my food porn on Pinterest, watch my cooking videos on YouTube, and peruse my recipe page for soups, salads, seafood, sweets, and more. Thanks for reading!

Seared Scallops with Roasted Squash, Brussels Sprouts, and Cranberry Beans

Posted on by
Reply

Today’s recipe is another way to enjoy a few fall favorites like butternut squash, Brussels sprouts, and fresh cranberry beans. Throw in a few sweet scallops and drizzle with a maple dijon vinaigrette and you’ve got one more dish in your repertoire to celebrate autumn’s glorious flavors.

If this recipe is reminiscent of my butternut squash salad with dried cranberries, rosemary roasted onions, and mustard greens with that very same vinaigrette, that’s because the idea stemmed from my leftover squash sitting in the fridge. But I hadn’t yet made Brussels sprouts this season and I had also picked up a few cranberry beans (i.e., borlotti) from my local market. Put it all together and you have a fantastic dinner that’s plant-based, includes a lean, sustainable protein, and screams out autumn in a seafood-y kind of way.

Waaaaah! I Hate Brussels Sprouts and Beans!

What are you, ten? It’s time to bring your palate into adulthood and the 21st century. These are fantastic, healthy foods that are really tasty if prepared the right way. Roasting brings out flavors—these sprouts are caramelized, crispy, and sweet—and a zesty maple dijon vinaigrette brings all the ingredients together beautifully. Give it a chance, friend. Give it a chance. (And that generally means more than once as your palate adjusts to new tastes.) For the how-to and nutrition notes, check out the following posts:

After roasting and simmering, toss the non-scallop ingredients together in a bit of vinaigrette before plating. You can omit the beans if you like, but the cranberry variety adds such a pretty color and wonderful texture to the dish. (And fiber. And other good stuff found in beans.) You can use canned if you prefer, but make sure to select a no-salt added brand. Fresh will give a firmer, less mushy texture, though, and all you need to do is remove them from the pods, rinse, and simmer on the stove for 20 minutes or so until cooked. Easy. 

This mixture would make a lovely little salad all on its own with a few greens, now, wouldn’t it?

So that’s what happens when you start with a leftover ingredient and obtain a little cruciferous and leguminous inspiration from the local market. Oh, and have a husband who’s crazy about scallops. Though I’ll bet tofu would work just as nicely in this dish if you want to keep it all veggie, especially in a warm salad. Hmmm…

P.K. NewbyDr. P. K. Newby is a nutrition scientist and educator with expertise in the prevention of obesity and chronic diseases through diet and the relations between agriculture, food production, and public health. She brings together her passions for food, cooking, science, and sustainability through her writing and videos to help people eat their way towards better health, one delectable bite at a time. If you like what you see here at The Nutrition Doctor is In the Kitchen, please subscribe to my blog from the home page, become a fan on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, check out my food porn on Pinterest, watch my cooking videos on YouTube, and peruse my recipe page for soups, salads, seafood, sweets, and more. Thanks for reading!

Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad with Toasted Almonds

Posted on by
2

Healthy Holidays Begin with Vegetables

The Salad That Rocked My World: Kale, Brussels Sprouts, Almonds, and Pecorino in a Dijon Vinaigrette

As we head toward the holidays, I’ll write a few posts on salads and vegetables to encourage you to keep these foods as a regular part of your diet.  Remember that vegetables are the most nutrient dense foods out there, and the more you consume, the better. They provide a vast array of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. Eating a colorful and diverse assortment is as beautiful as it is nutritious, and festive vegetable dishes make a gorgeous addition to a holiday table. They also impart balance to otherwise heavy meals, providing fiber and water that help you feel full on fewer calories.

Therefore, on those occasions that you are eating at home or in your workplace cafeteria in the coming weeks, you might consider consuming a salad as a way to keep yourself in energy balance throughout the season.  Even if you’re not quite ready to eat just a big salad for supper, ingesting a small one before dinner with a glass of water, and taking your time eating it, will help to decrease the calories you eat during the meal itself.  And dessert, come to think of it, which is one thing that most of eat a lot more of during the holidays. Hey, maybe you’ll even be so full by that point that you won’t even want dessert, though I fear I’m skating on some thin ice here and don’t want to lose you. I mean, it’s not like I’m saying you should set out a salad for Santa rather than a plate of cookies.

(I don’t think I’m saying that. I’m pretty sure I’m not saying that.  Well, you know, if you really want to, I won’t stand in your way…)

Vegetable Inspiration from Bon Appétit

Do you remember the massive amount of produce I bought the last day of the Copley Square farmers’ market before Thanksgiving, including Brussels sprouts (below)? For the most part, I had no trouble whatsoever getting through everything, as the squashes held up quite well on the countertop and the apples remain crisp in the refrigerator.  Even the mushrooms survived nicely in their paper bags, creating a savory wild mushroom soup redolent of sherry and thyme that is currently simmering on the stovetop.  Yes, indeed, lots of autumn cooking happened happened in my humble kitchen, and it’s not over yet.

As I slowly progressed through the various soups, tarts, risottos, and salads in my repertoire, I also looked to my favorite sources of inspiration for new ideas.  Bon Appétit’s November issue happily delivered, and I spent one recent Friday evening making three unique vegetable salads and side dishes: kale and Brussels sprouts salad with a dijon vinaigrette; roasted butternut squash with toasted pumpkin seeds and reduced balsamic vinegar; and crispy cauliflower with capers, raisins, and breadcrumbs.  I also toasted up some kale leaves for a crispy snack and siphoned some of the roasted cauliflower to make soup. All in all, a productive, creative, and enjoyable evening.

(You can’t possibly be surprised that my idea of a fun Friday night is cooking, can you?)

Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad: Who Knew?

Have you ever eaten kale, the headless crucifer?  If you haven’t, or if you have and hated it, I beg you to keep reading, because I’ve had nothing short of a revelation, and following is my kale tale.

It was an article in the October 2009 Bon Appétit by Molly Wizenberg that first got me thinking about this hearty, fibrous vegetable, since I did not grow up eating it.  Certainly what little I’d experienced as an adult was limited to soups, braising, and sautéeing.

Well, you can imagine my skepticism when finding a recipe for kale and Brussels sprouts salad last month. Cooked kale was one thing, but raw (I scoffed)? Who could possibly like this? Yet, I had a full bag of kale in my refrigerator from the market, so I pushed negativity aside gave it a shot. It did also call for Brussels sprouts, toasted almonds, pecorino, and a lively mustard vinaigrette, after all. How bad could it be?  Plus, kale is among the most nutritious veggies out there. Like Brussels sprouts, kale is a cruciferous vegetable and has been associated with decreased blood cholesterol and risk of some cancers due to its high nutrient content including vitamins A, C, and K, as well as bioactive components like flavonoids and glucosinolates. It’s also a reasonable source of calcium. The nuts and olive oil are great sources of healthy monounsaturated fats; almonds are also a rich source of minerals and fiber that also have been shown to lower cholesterol and risk of heart disease. This salad is nothing short of a nutritional powerhouse.

Version 2: More Almonds, No Cheese, and Better Lighting

I loved this salad so much that I ditched using the kale in a soup as planned and made it three times in as many weeks.  I had thought it would be bitter because of the raw kale but the balance of ingredients and flavors is nothing short of wondrous. It will no doubt become one of my regular autumn salads.  I’ll probably start getting creative by adding legumes or other protein – garbanzos? white beans? grilled tofu? seared scallops? – to turn it into a stand-alone “big salad” main course. I did use roasted Brussels sprouts rather than raw, as called for in the recipe, mainly because I love them and had some in the fridge.  I also happen to think it looks prettier. A final note is that I’ve made the salad with and without cheese (right) and it’s just as good either way.

What else can I say? It’s a short story that gets right to the point and reminds us yet again of the importance of always being open to trying new things: new vegetables, new dishes, new salads, new ways of cooking and eating.  Welcome all of it, and embrace it fully. Sure, it doesn’t always work out as well as today, but it all begins with trying.  Maybe this can be your new year’s resolution if it’s not already your life’s motto.  Regardless, I hope I will continue to be of some help to you in your journey towards better health and better eating in 2012.  We’re all in it together – you, me, and our new friend kale.

Brussels Sprouts: They’re Not Just for Breakfast

Posted on by
4

Yeah, yeah, I’m just kidding around. I thought that would get your attention, though, and the title is a reflection of two things: (1) Yesterday’s post on seared scallops lacked sufficient humor and left me desperate for anything even remotely funny and (2) it occurred that I haven’t done much on the breakfast front on this blog yet. The humor issue I will attempt to remedy in today’s post, should the gods of comedy be so kind. The breakfast issue will need to wait until 2012, when I have more time to do it justice. In the meanwhile, these next few weeks will be dedicated to fish, festive fare, and science in the media. Salads and veggies will also make appearances, of course, like today. I have great stuff coming on all these topics, including succulent seafood dishes, strategies for holiday eating, and a shout out to The Daily Show, among others.

By the way: Did you really think I’m that much of a nutrition nerd that I seriously eat Brussels sprouts for breakfast? Come on. I mean, it’s not raspberry pancakes all the time, but I’m not breaking out the crucifiers for the day’s first meal, either.

Actually, you should know that I’m rarely serious. Except about science. Then I’m serious. Okay, well, not always serious, but sincere, certainly. (And alliterative, apparently.) My students are currently reading In Defense of Food, so I need to spend a little time talking about the often ridiculously unhelpful and uninformed treatment of nutrition science in the context of the media and popular press.  It’s a tricky subject, and one about which I have some, er, strong opinions. (Can you tell?) Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, and Michael Pollan will all be making appearances, so stay posted as we enter the final month of 2011.

Brussels Sprouts: Why the Bad Rap?

They Grow on a Stalk: How Adorable!

Okay, on with today’s topic, those teeny tiny heads of cabbage. What? You hate them? Find them bitter? Really? I’ve made them for lots of people and they’ve been a huge hit. I’ve heard such accolades as “These are the best Brussels sprouts I’ve ever had!”  I’m trying to remember now – was there applause? Okay, that last part was hyperbole, but the roasted Brussels sprouts were the first to go at our 2010 Christmas party. People raved about them, and I’m not making that up.

(Okay, fine, my dad may have been the one making the comment about the sprouts being the “best ever,” so, well…yeah.  I think it still counts, though, in light of the other evidence. Nevertheless, don’t tell my mom; she’s very competitive, and he’ll get in trouble.)

I was thrilled with the response to my Brussels sprouts! I really had no idea how they would be received on my holiday table, as many people seem to find them loathsome. To tell you the truth, I was down right dumbfounded with how popular they were. The Mediterranean herb and olive oil poached salmon was the star, after all, and my wild mushroom paté took hours to prepare. So why all the fuss about these humble green vegetables that required 10 minutes of preparation?

I quickly reminded myself that lots of people don’t really know how to cook, especially veggies. (Or are my sprouts that good?)  Please know that there is absolutely no judgment here about this simple fact, and I consider myself lucky that I had cooking classes in school and a mom who spent time in the kitchen with me at a young age to get me started. Today, the lack of home economic education in schools combined with increasing numbers of women in the workforce and the explosion of convenience/prepared food in the supermarket are all barriers to cooking, alongside various other factors. I’m glad cooking’s making a bit of a comeback, and I’m delighted to be a part of that in some small way.

Anyway, my point is that, like lots of fabulous veggies, I think they often get a bad rap because people had a less-than-stellar experience encountering soggy, gray, bitter Brussels sprouts. (Yuck!) Time for a little Brussels sprouts 101, I’d say, and then come back later this week for two oustanding salad suggestions.

The Magic Begins in a White Hot Oven

I roast vegetables regularly in autumn. In the past week alone I’ve roasted Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, pumpkin, squash, beets, and leeks. They make a wonderful side dish on their own or can be used in salads and such. Roasting is the key!

I think it’s fun to buy them on the stalk and cut them off myself, if available.

It’s really rather simple. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Put the sprouts in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground pepper; make sure they are lightly coated, but not greasy. You can also add some crushed or sliced fresh garlic if you like.

(You may recall that I talk about sodium a lot on this blog, and it’s important to watch your salt intake, especially from the major culprits of prepared, processed, and canned foods. That said, unless you have a medical issue specifically restricting salt I think that seasoning veggies with salt and pepper is pretty important to bring out the flavor, and it needs to be before they go into the oven. As I’ve said, however, people have different palates and preferences so you should make your own decision here. It may well be that you don’t want the salt, which is fine. If you do use it, remember I said “sprinkle,” which is to say that I use a few hearty pinches for the entire batch.)

Roasted Brussels Sprouts: Yummy!

Pour the sprouts onto a baking sheet and place in the oven. Set the timer for 10-12 minutes. When the buzzer goes off, take a look: they should be brown in some places, especially on the bottom. Give them a toss and throw them back into the oven for, say, 5-7 more minutes. The final cooking time depends on how big the sprouts were. I recommend tasting them a few times during the process. They should be on the soft side while still retaining their green color. Once roasted, they will be sweet, not bitter. If they are too hard and crunchy on the inside, akin to raw cabbage, they need more time; give them another mix and return them to the oven.

In less than 20 minutes or so, you’ll find yourself snacking on these sweet little veggies and wondering if you’ll have any left for your other dishes…

P.K. NewbyDr. P. K. Newby is a nutrition scientist and educator with expertise in the prevention of obesity and chronic diseases through diet and the relations between agriculture, food production, and public health. She brings together her passions for food, cooking, science, and sustainability through her writing and videos to help people eat their way towards better health, one delectable bite at a time. If you like what you see here at The Nutrition Doctor is In the Kitchen, please subscribe to my blog from the home page, become a fan on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, check out my food porn on Pinterest, watch my videos on YouTube, and peruse my recipe page for soups, salads, seafood, sweets, and more. Thank you for reading!

Summer Corn+Halloween Snow=Spooky

Posted on by
10

All right, perhaps spooky is too strong a word. But I did find it an odd combination.

The snow kept many of my favorite farmers from coming to the market this past Sunday, perhaps because they were in the fields trying to salvage sensitive crops after the snowfall. (This is my hypothesis. I’ll ask Farmer Dave for an update when I see him next week because he knew I was hoping to buy mushrooms from him – which didn’t happen.)

Regarding corn, well, after saying a number of times in the past month how summer corn was finished, there it was again, a few lone bushels looking for a home. Bewildered, I asked the farmer about it, and the conversation basically went as follows: “Yes, I’m sure that’s the last of it. I’m not picking another !%&!$#! piece of corn this season!”

Ok, then.

We chatted about how much I love [summer] corn. I was surprised to see it this late but – I  won’t lie – mildly titillated nonetheless.  How could I resist taking some corn off this nice farmer’s hands, he who literally reaped it just for me? Surely I could find something seasonal and delicious to do with these remaining ears, giving them a place of love at my table? This definitely is the last I’ll be seeing of 2011 corn, after all. (I think. Though I’ve said that before now. Several times.)

The thing is, as much as I love corn - and you know I really love corn - now I’m relishing in fall flavors: root vegetables, lots of salad and braising greens, cruciferous vegetables like Brussels sprouts, cabbage and brocooli and of course multifarious varieties of squash. And apples and red pears and figs, oh my.

Not to mention I’ve made a whole lot of corn-related things in the past several months, including Mexican tortilla soup, succotash, corn salad, polenta, creamed corn, and traditional summer corn chowder. Among many, many others.

And, uh, this was clearly end-of-the-season corn, not sweet-as-a-summer-day corn.

Autumn Corn Chowder with Chanterelles, Sweet Potatoes, and Smoked Mussels

All that said, I decided to make one final corn soup of the season. (Yes, I eat a lot of soup; we’ve discussed this.) The addition of sherry- and thyme-scented chanterelle mushrooms, sweet potatoes, and smoked mussels brought this chowder into autumn; it was a perfect meal for my board meeting/dinner on a chilly Halloween evening.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Toasted Walnuts, and Blue Cheese with Autumn Lettuces

Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Toasted Walnuts, and Blue Cheese with Autumn Lettuces

I served the soup alongside a salad of orange and honey-roasted Brussels sprouts, toasted walnuts, and blue cheese with autumn lettuces and a walnut vinaigrette (left).

For dessert (below): pumpkin whoopie pies with maple buttercream, starring fresh pumpkin purée and local maple syrup. This was the first time I’ve ever made buttercream, and I actually cannot even believe how silky and sublime it was. Too bad we couldn’t get that one on video; I was downright gleeful. Maybe this weekend, since I still have leftover purée after roasting a sugar pumpkin on Sunday.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Maple Buttercream

Yes, it was a Monday, but it’s the least I can do for the executive board, who serves tirelessly in running our humble theatre company, The Longwood Players. Speaking of which, our hilarious fall show Lend Me a Tenor opens on November 11!

Oh, and I will post more about each of these dishes soon – including the recipes and their deliciously healthful modifications – so keep in touch.

P.K. NewbyDr. P. K. Newby is a nutrition scientist and educator with expertise in the prevention of obesity and chronic diseases through diet and the relations between agriculture, food production, and public health. She brings together her passions for food, cooking, science, and sustainability through her writing and videos to help people eat their way towards better health, one delectable bite at a time. If you like what you see here at The Nutrition Doctor is In the Kitchen, please subscribe to my blog from the home page, become a fan on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, check out my food porn on Pinterest, watch my videos on YouTube, and peruse my recipe page for soups, salads, seafood, sweets, and more. Thanks for reading!