Do you have your go-to recipes for certain vegetables? How do you usually make kale, spinach or broccoli?

Sometimes having a couple stupidly easy-to-make/easy-to-memorize vegetable recipes on hand can really change the game. Here is what I mean.

Lately, we have been staying with my brother-in-law, Felix, who happens to be an avid home cook as well. He is the type of person who will tell you all the scientific details about why you have to leave the skin on when grilling chicken, how and why to season a steak in a specific way can make a huge difference, etc. I don’t cook scientifically, but I totally adore the way Felix handles food.

When I don’t have any dinner plans, he steps in and takes control. (It’s awesome!) That’s when everyone in the house knows that dinner is either going to be steak or salmon. There are no exceptions.

Since we are hitting the peak season of sockeye salmon now, the price here in the fresh market is unbelievably low. As a salmon addict, that’s not something Felix could resist.

Last Sunday, he decided to go all the way out and grilled a seafood feast including two pounds sockeye, one pound sea scallops and one and a half pounds large shrimp, for a number of four people. Dear Lord!!

When I saw that coming, I immediately realized that we needed lots of fibers and a crunchy texture to balance out all that cholesterol and richness. That’s when my go-to easy kale recipe turned things around. Having kale on the side, the seafood dinner ended up being fantastic! But can you image it without a leafy vegetable side dish?

You might not have such a special cook at home like I do. However, as you can see, vegetables are essential in a balanced meal, especially green vegetables. They are usually very quick to put together and they require very few ingredients to make. I will tell you a secret of making pretty much all green vegetables tasty.

The secret is GARLIC!

Whether you cook spinach, broccoli, kale, bok choy or other green vegetables, add garlic please, the same with brussels sprouts. Why? I have a feeling that it’s science! (Am I right, Felix?)

Recently, I found my go-to brussels sprouts recipe and I thought I would share it with you. These roasted little green balls call for lots of garlic. When done right, they turn tender inside and crispy outside. Plus, they leave you a little sweetness in your mouth. I am totally in love!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Crispy Garlice and Almond

According to the original recipe, the garlic is tucked within the dish at the beginning of the cooking steps. I decided to pull the minced garlic out and fry them together with sliced almond until crisp and scattered over the roasted brussels sprouts.

Oh my! This small change adds additional crispy texture to this dish, bringing a garlicky and nutty flavor to the vegetable. If you like, sprinkle some bacon bits on top. I haven’t tried it with bacon yet, but I have only heard great things about the combination.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do. These are fantastic with steaks!

What’s your favorite way to make brussels sprouts? Leave a comment and let me know. Since this thing is my new obsession, I would love to try your way!

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Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Crispy Garlic and Almond

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  • Author: Sharon Chen
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
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Description

Crispy garlic and almond scattered over perfectly roasted brussels sprouts. This garlicky and nutty vegetable makes a fantastic pair with steaks.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 lb. brussels sprouts
  • 7 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 2 tbsps sliced almond
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
  2. Trim bottom of brussels sprouts, and slice each in half top to bottom.
  3. Heat up 4 tablespoons olive oil in a large flat-bottomed pan over medium-high heat until hot (about 2 minutes); arrange sprouts cut side down in one layer in the pan; sprinkle with garlic powder, salt and pepper.
  4. Cook until the bottoms of the cuts begin to brown (about 2 minutes).
  5. Transfer to a baking dish and insert to the oven. Bake for 30 minutes until the sprouts are crispy outside and tender inside.
  6. While the sprouts are baking, in the same pan, heat up the remaining 3 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat, fry minced garlic and sliced almond together until garlic begins turning brown. Turn off heat and transfer the garlic and almond to a paper towel.
  7. When the brussels sprouts are done, taste, and add more salt and pepper if desired. Stir in balsamic vinegar. Dish and sprinkle with crispy garlic and almond on top. Enjoy!

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 4

About the Author

Sharon Chen, StreetSmart Kitchen
Sharon Chen

Sharon Chen is an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, an author and a sous vide fanatic who believes food not only brings healing but also connection. As the creator of StreetSmart Kitchen, she's on a mission to help you find balance, ease, joy, and simplicity in the kitchen as you improve your well-being.