brussels sprouts

Everything tastes better with bacon and brussels sprouts are no exception. For some reason, I normally only have brussels sprouts at holidays meals, but this tasty vegetable beckons to be eaten more often.

With the cold front that came through San Francisco, it was a perfect weekend to test Tyler Florence's comforting brussels sprouts hash. The enticing recipe includes tender brussels sprouts, caramelized pearl onions, and crispy potatoes; the whole thing is topped with crunchy bacon and fresh parsley. A touch of briefly reduced balsamic vinegar finishes off the dish and provides a zingy bite that enhances the full, rich flavor of the hash. To get started on this scrumptious side dish, read more

I didn't grow up eating Brussels sprouts, and due to the vegetable's notorious reputation, I didn't think I was missing out on much. When I had my first bite of the vegetable a few years ago, I found that it wasn't bitter; rather, it was rich, sweet, and tender. I've been a devotee of the nutritious Brussels sprout ever since.

While Brussels sprouts are often available yearround, they're in their prime now: Peak season is from September to February. To find out what to look for, read more

I didn't grow up eating brussels sprouts. My mother was forced to eat overcooked and mushy brussels sprouts as I child so she avoided them, and I did too.

I have since learned to love this veggie that looks like a mini cabbage. I tried to convince my girls last night at dinner that they, too, should love this veggie, but since I was unsuccessful on that front, I am going to try and convince you.

Let me start by saying this is one low-calorie food. A half cup cooked by boiling, which I do not recommend for flavor or texture, only contains 28 calories. The same serving of brussels sprouts will provide your recommended daily intake for vitamin K and almost satisfy the daily requirement for vitamin C. Related to cabbage and broccoli, this veggie is also high in folate and vitamin A, and even contains some omega-3 fatty acids. In studies, eating brussels sprouts daily was shown to optimize cell detoxification, which might help prevent cancer. Plus they are a Winter veggie and are at their peak for tastiness from late Fall until early Spring.

For tips on cooking brussels sprouts, read more

At Tyler Florence's demonstration at the NYC Wine and Food Festival, Florence taught the crowd how to make the ultimate birthday dinner. It was the exact dinner he made for his wife on her birthday! The boyishly handsome chef has had a busy year. Not only did his wife give birth to a baby girl, but he also released two new cookbooks, opened a kitchenware store in Northern California, and filmed an upcoming season of Tyler's Ultimate, all while making appearances and doing demonstrations.

His special dinner menu — which is ideal for the holiday season — consisted of beef tenderloin with Béarnaise sauce, Brussels sprout and fingerling potato hash, and carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. To see what Tyler had to say about this menu, read more

St. Patty's Day is all about the green and it is just around the corner. That doesn't only have to mean green beer. There are numerous healthy foods that you can add to your diet to not only up the green, but to also up the health as well. Here are just a few:

• Avocado: Avocado is a good source of monounsaturated fats, which help lower cholesterol, said Dr. Vickie Vaclavik, clinical assistant professor of clinical nutrition at UT Southwestern. Avocados also are good sources of both vitamin E and lutein, a natural antioxidant that may help maintain eye health.
• Broccolini: It's packed with the cancer-fighting nutrients isothiocyanates, sulforaphane, and indoles all linked with reducing the risk of breast, prostate, cervical, lung, and other cancers and offers as much vitamin C as orange juice, said Dr. Jo Ann Carson, professor of clinical nutrition at UT Southwestern.
• Brussels sprouts: Brussels sprouts are another cruciferous vegetable with cancer-fighting phytochemicals. "They're also high in vitamin C and are a good source of folate, vitamin A, and potassium," said Lona Sandon, assistant professor of clinical nutrition at UT Southwestern and a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.

There's more so read more

I always thought Brussels sprouts were kind of a joke vegetable. You know, something you heard on that show Leave It to Beaver, where the mom would say "eat your Brussels sprouts, dear." I didn't think people actually ate them though — that is, until I went to a dinner party last weekend.

I saw these strange little baby cabbage-looking things on the table and was momentarily stumped. She actually was serving Brussels sprouts, and let me tell you, they're really delicious. I'm no longer put off by this tiny vegetable. Plus they're healthy too. Half a cup of cooked Brussels sprouts has only 33 calories, but also has 3.2 g of fiber, 252 mg of potassium, 79 micrograms of folate, and 2.8 g of protein. Since it's a green veggie, I thought it would have a ton of calcium, but it only has 19 mg, and the recommended daily intake is 1,000 mg. Still, it does have 35 mg of vitamin C and 457 IU of vitamin A, which surprised me, so that's a plus.

I think most people hate Brussels sprouts because they are usually way overcooked, so they have no taste and a gross mushy consistency. They can also have a slightly bitter flavor, but if they're prepared the right way, this green veggie a great side dish to any meal.

Want to know how I like to cook them? Then read more

No Thanksgiving is complete without a smorgasbord of sides to choose from, and this meat-free menu is no exception. There's no bacon, sausage, or pancetta to be found in these scrumptious side dishes, so vegetarians get your plates ready! All of these dishes pair nicely with the main dish: pumpkin lasagna. Start with a stuffing substitute in the form of a mushroom panzanella. Give mashed potatoes a gourmet makeover with caramelized shallots and fresh sage. Round out the menu with brussels sprouts and cranberry brown butter. Want a taste of these delicious recipes? Just read more

Don't you feel sorry for Brussels sprouts? They have a horrible reputation, and I don't understand why. When cooked correctly and paired with enhancing flavors, Brussels sprouts are actually a wonderfully delicious vegetable. Pancetta or bacon, fresh thyme, and chestnuts complement Brussels sprouts' taste.

This gratin, however, is made with Parmesan, roasted garlic, and proscuitto. It pairs nicely with roasted pork or beef. For a vegetarian meal, serve the gratin alongside a pasta or sandwich. To give this underrated vegetable a little love, read more