I didn’t taste my first brussel sprout until I was 27 and it was in the cafeteria of my former job. To be perfectly honest, I gagged and haven’t had one again until recently, but this time, it was at a dinner party and they were surprisingly delicious. Brussel sprouts are one of those foods that when prepared well can be so yummy, but when they are overcooked, they can be quite bitter and emit a sulfur odor that is just unbearable. Unfortunately, many of us have memories of bad brussel sprouts, so we avoid them, and as a result, we don’t feed them to our kids.
This cruciferous vegetable, however, is a SuperFood. It’s rich in fiber, protein, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals and excellent source of Vitamins E, K , C & B-complex, Iron & Carotenes. Brussel Sprouts have been shown to:
- protect against certain cancers
- protect our DNA structure
- help detoxify cells
- lower inflammation in our body
- reduce the risk of heart disease
With so many health benefits, let’s all try to get this forgotten SuperFood back into our family meals. Katie has a great recipe that her 2yr olds love and it’s super easy,
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash Brussel sprouts and lay out on a cookie sheet. Drizzle olive oil over them and sprinkle with sea salt. Place in oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cut Brussel sprouts in half. Mix with a spoon to ensure that all Brussel sprouts are covered with oil. Place back in oven for 8-10 minutes until tops are lightly brown and crispy.
If your kids still refuse, try offering a dip, like a yogurt dill, or make a cheese sauce by melting some cheddar and milk and pour a small amount over the sprouts, that may help them get more excited about it. Asking them to help you prepare the brussel sprouts by peeling the out layer and washing them can also do the trick.
Here are a couple of recipes that are kid tested and approved:
Stir Fried Brussel Sprouts with Mustard Maple Glaze
Enjoy!
mysuperfoods 