Members of the cabbage family, Brussels sprouts are in the same category as collard greens, broccoli, kale, and kohlrabi. There are actually many varieties available and some are even purple, such as the Ruby Crunch or Red Bull.

Early species of Brussels sprouts originated in ancient Rome. However, the cultivation of what we know today gained popularity during the 16th century among cultivators around Brussels, in the lowlands of Belgium, and the Netherlands. We in America have the French to thank for bringing them to Louisiana in the 18th century. Today, what you find at the grocers were most likely grown in California along the coast.

Ever wonder how Brussels sprouts went from their long established previous status of “most despised” to leading top ten lists everywhere over the last decade? It all comes down to prep methods and believe me these li’l guys were never meant to be boiled! (I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to hiding my share of Brussels sprouts in my napkin once upon a time.) We, along with Brussels sprouts growers, certainly give thanks to an inspired chef somewhere who had the insight to toss a layer into a roasting pan to see what would happen. While I so appreciate the simple results of this veggie lightly tossed in olive oil with a sprinkle of Himalayan sea salt and roasted until a bit crispy around the edges, I will never say no to possible improvements. So when I came across this recipe for Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Butternut Squash and Pecans I knew I would have to give it a go.

Brussels Sprouts
3 cups Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed, yellow leaves removed
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt to taste

Butternut Squash
1 & ½ pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed into 1-inch cubes (Yields about 4 cups of uncooked cubed butternut squash)
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons maple syrup
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Other Ingredients
2 cups pecan halves
1 cup dried cranberries
2-4 tablespoons maple syrup

Full Instructions Here

Thank you everyone who submitted responses for our recipe search! It wasn’t easy, but we were able to narrow it down to the following four veggie side dishes just in time for holiday cooking. Give them a try and place your votes here before Nov. 29th. Results will be announced in our Take 5 email the following Wednesday morning and the lucky winner will receive a free copy of Gemmotherapy for Everyone: An Introduction to Acute Care.

Green Beans in Peanut Sauce

Ingredients
1 lb fresh green beans, ends trimmed and sliced diagonally into 1-inch pieces
3 Tablespoon organic peanut butter
1 cup vegetable stock
1 minced garlic clove
2 teaspoons peeled and finely minced ginger
1 Tablespoon lime juice
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 Tablespoon tamari sauce
1 Tablespoon minced fresh cilantro, for garnish

Cook green beans in boiling water until just tender, about 5 minutes or more. Drain and set aside. In a small saucepan, bring peanut butter, stock, garlic, ginger, lime juice, cayenne pepper and soy sauce to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Taste, and adjust seasonings. Pour sauce over green beans. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve immediately. (Recipe from The Schwarzbein Principle Cookbook  Diana Schwarzbein, Nancy Deville and Evelyn Jacob Jaffe)

Shaved Fennel & Celery Salad

Dressing
6 Tablespoons lemon juice
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons minced shallot, red onion or radish
½ teaspoon sugar (optional)
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cracked pepper

Salad
10 oz. mixed greens
2 cup thinly sliced celery
2 cup thinly sliced fennel
1 cup raw Parmesan cheese

Thinly slice the fennel and celery. Combine these ingredients with the dressing. Allow to marinate. When ready to serve, prepare the greens and top with a portion of the marinated fennel and celery. Top with raw Parmesan cheese. Can prepare for a week’s worth of grab ‘n go salads.

Raw Parmesan Cheese
1 cup Brazil nuts
2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients in food processor and process until fine coarse texture. Store in the refrigerator. This keeps very well.

Mouth Watering Crispy Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients
2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed, halved, outer leaves removed (6 cups prepped)
2 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted or olive oil, plus more for serving
1 teaspoon dry Harissa spice blend
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 400F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. With a paring knife, trim off the ends of the sprouts, then slice in half lengthwise, and pick off any loose outer leaves. Place the prepped sprouts into a large bowl. Add the oil onto the sprouts in the bowl and stir or toss with hands until thoroughly coated. Add the Harissa and salt, and stir until combined.Spread the Brussels sprouts onto the prepared baking sheet in a uniform layer. Garnish with freshly ground black pepper.Roast the sprouts for 20 minutes, then flip with spatula, and continue roasting for another 5-15 minutes until browned to your liking. I tend to “overcook” these because I like them crispy and charred (I usually brown mine more than the photos show). Smaller sprouts will brown faster than larger ones. Drizzle with a teaspoon or so of melted coconut oil and quickly toss to coat. This infuses with flavor and moistens them a bit after roasting. Sometimes I also sprinkle on toasted sesame seeds if I have some on hand. Taste and add another tiny pinch of salt, if desired, and serve immediately – the hotter the better. (Recipe from Oh She Glows.)

Black Lentil Stuffed Cabbage Leaves in Moroccan Tomato Sauce

Lentils
Cook 2 cups of black lentils until they are almost completely done (they will continue to cook once stuffed in the cabbage later) according to the package directions. Set aside for later.

Cabbage
Take 8 whole leaves of Napa cabbage and place them in a large pot of simmer water and blanch them for 6 minutes. Remove them from the water and drain. While the cabbage is simmering, prepare your tomato sauce.

Tomato Sauce
Chop 1 shallot and 2 cloves of garlic. Sauté the shallot and garlic in olive oil until they are a little soft, and add a 14 oz. whole can of crushed tomatoes and a 14oz whole can of tomato sauce. Stir to incorporate and once the mixture is simmering, add 1 teaspoon of cumin, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix together, and enjoy the aromas that each spice has to offer. Let the mixture simmer for about 15-20 minutes.

Stuffing
In a large bowl, add the lentils, 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger, 2 tablespoons fresh oregano, 1/2 cup dried cherries, 1/2 cup roughly chopped kalamata olives, 1/4 cup chopped pistachios (optional, you can add any type of nut, or omit this ingredient all together) 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic, a small drizzle of olive oil, a squeezing of fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, salt and pepper to taste.

Get a large baking dish and put HALF of the tomato sauce in the bottom of the dish. This will steam the bottom of the cabbage and keep them from sticking to the dish. Take a cabbage leaf and place 2-3 large spoonfuls of the lentil mixture and place it in the center of the leaf. Fold the top leaves in and then the sides until it makes a nice little package. place the stuffed cabbage seam side down in the tomato sauce with the rib face up. Repeat until all of your leaves are stuffed. Pour the remaining tomato sauce over all of the stuffed cabbage and place in the oven. Cook for 45 minutes while basting the stuffed cabbage with the tomato sauce about 20 minutes into the cooking time. This will keep the cabbage moist and keep it from drying out on the top. (Recipe from Simmer & Chop.)

Feel free to share your own experiences with these recipes here or over on our Facebook page. And don’t forgot to vote for your favorite!

I pretty am sure our household has single-handedly helped increase the sale of cauliflower the past years. I buy a gorgeous head or two every week without fail and continually fall in love with new ways to prepare this versatile vegetable. While the creamy white colored heads of cauliflower clusters are what traditionally come to mind, in recent years the colorful varieties have gained popularity among growers. Don’t be shy about trying the orange “cheddar” or purple “ graffiti” varieties that have only subtle taste differences but add interesting color to any dish.

Due to our own regular consumption, I had to extend my search to find something new to test and I am I delighted to have come across this 101 Cookbooks recipe for Spiced Cauliflower with Sesame. This beautiful blend of ginger, chilies, and turmeric flavors (which all happen to be favorites in the Hubele house) made this recipe an immediate hit.

Ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or clarified butter (I use coconut oil)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 medium yellow onions, finely sliced
Pinch of turmeric
Fine grain sea salt
1 medium/ 12 oz cauliflower, thinly sliced
4 dried red chilies, stemmed and halved
1-2 teaspoon sesame seeds, lightly toasted
1 garlic clove, grated
4 cm/ 1 1/2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
1-2 green jalapeno chilies, seeds removed, finely chopped
2-3 tablespoons fresh cilantro/ coriander, chopped

Full Instructions Here

I know I’m not the only one with delicious veggie ideas to share. So, how about submitting your favorite gluten free, dairy free vegetable side-dish recipe, along with two photos, for a chance to win a free copy of my book Gemmotherapy For Everyone: An Introduction To Acute Care!

Here’s How It Works
Entries should be sent to Office@LaurenHubele.com before Monday, November 14. We will test out whatever you, our faithful readers, offer up and our top three selections will be posted here for your review on Monday, November 21. Everyone will have a chance to vote online for their favorite based on the following criteria:

1. Flavor (It needs to be yummy.)
2. Difficulty (It needs to be doable.)
3. Nutrition (It needs to be healthy.)
4. Appeal (It needs to be something even non-vegetarians would eat.)
5. Appearance (It needs to visually look nice on a table.)

The winner will be announced one month from now, on Thursday, December 1.

Good Luck!