The Famous Brussel Sprouts

My friends and I are obsessed with Westville, an amazing restaurant with locations in the East and West Village. How could you not love a restaurant that has an entire separate menu dedicated to fresh vegetable dishes? Whenever we eat there, our waiter inevitably laughs at us when we all order the brussel sprouts. We just can't go there without getting them, they are the best brussel sprouts you will ever taste! Brussel sprouts are in season right now, so when my friend Sami (a fellow brussel sprouts enthusiast) came over for dinner the other night I made it my goal to prepare brussel sprouts that would rival Westville's!
Brussel sprouts are a member of the cruciferous vegetable family. You already know how much I love cruciferous vegetables for their detoxifying benefits from this recipe. Brussel sprouts are also an excellent source of vitamin C (perfect for this time of year!), vitamin A, vitamin K, magnanese, folic acid, potassium, fiber, and omega-3 essential fatty acids! They are little nutrient powerhouses. The phytonutrients of brussel sprouts have been proven to protect the body against numerous forms of disease, including cancer! When brussel sprouts are chewed they release sulforaphane. This phytochemical compound triggers the liver to produce enzymes which detoxify the body and eliminate potentially cancer causing chemicals. Need a better reason to try this recipe? Didn't think so.

Just in case you are ever invited over to dinner at my apartment, this is what you can expect to be served. The kabocha squash recipe can be found here. I'll post the spinach raisin quinoa recipe when I get around to measuring the ingredients. As for the brussel sprouts, my friend Sami was very sweet and said that they were just as good as Westville's. I think she was just being polite, but I'm content to take second place because I'm convinced that Westville keeps little wizards in their kitchen to work magic on their brussel sprouts. Ok, I'll stop now, you get the point. If you can't visit Westville here is a recipe that is almost as good (and probably even healthier!) than theirs.

Maple Mustard Brussel Sprouts

Ingredients:
(makes about 2 servings)

15 brussel sprouts

2 tbsp pure virgin coconut oil

3 tbsp maple syrup

3 tbsp dijon mustard

sea salt


Wash brussel sprouts.
Remove stems and chop in half, place in a large mixing bowl.
In a seperate bowl combine coconut oil, maple syrup, and dijon mustard.
Whisk until well combined.
Pour half the marinade mixture over the brussel sprouts.
Add a sprinkle of sea salt and mix together so that the marinade is evenly distributed.
Set the other half of the marinade aside.
Coat a large pan with coconut oil.
Place brussel sprouts face down on the pan.
Cook on medium heat for about 10 to 15 minutes, until the bottoms are a golden brown and you can pierce the brussel sprouts with a fork.
Remove from heat.
Add the other half of the marinade and mix well.
Allow a few minutes for the brussel sprouts to cool and for the flavors to combine.
Enjoy!