Veg Box Newsletter maasthead

No.9  November 17th 2021

Photo of Brussels sprouts on the stalk - Brussels are not just for ChristmasHello!  Welcome to another edition of the Tod Almighty veg box newsletter.  We all know sprouts aren't just for Christmas – they are available from October to March in the UK – and this week we don't just have the sprouts, we've got the whole stalk!  Although it's really up to personal taste, the stalk can be eaten – much like the stalk of a broccoli.  It just needs a little longer to cook to make sure it's tender.

Brussels sprouts are essentially very small, compact cabbages.  They come from the brassica family of plants that includes cabbage, kale, spring greens, broccoli, cauliflower and mustards.  They are native to Belgium – apparently discovered by a gardener who worked for the King – and are actually named after the Belgian city of Brussels.

They are high in fibre, rich in vitamin K (good for your blood) and full of kaempferol, an antioxidant that decreases inflammation and promotes healthy heart.  They are also packed with vitamin C; in fact Brussels sprouts contain more vitamin C by weight than lemons!

The worst thing you can do with sprouts is boil them.  Especially boiling them for an eternity!  That's why a lot of people hate sprouts.  The easiest and most nutritional way to cook them is to steam them.  The stalk can be chopped up and steamed too, or you could season it and pop it in the oven to roast – making sure it's nice and tender in the middle before eating.

Sally



T: 07303 148117  |  E: VegBoxes@todalmighty.co.uk

RECIPES

Roasted spicy garlic Brussels sprouts on the stalk


Photo of roasted spicy garlic Brussels sprouts on the stalk

A very simple way to cook the whole stalk and sprouts in one go is to roast – and it can make for an impressive dish to serve dinner guests!  Below is a suggested recipe but this can act as inspiration – you can use any sort of glaze to suit your tastes.

Make sure you rinse the whole thing thoroughly to get rid of any dirt, etc. before you start cooking.

Ingredients
1 Brussels sprouts stalk.
3 tbsp olive oil.
4 cloves garlic roughly chopped.
1 tsp garlic powder.
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper or paprika.
Salt.
Chilli flakes.

Method
Preheat oven to 190/200°C.
Line a large baking tray with foil.
Wash and dry Brussels sprouts stalk.
In a small saucepan over low heat, add olive oil, garlic, garlic powder and cayenne pepper (or paprika).
Bring to a low simmer, stirring to mix everything.  Cook for a few minutes until the garlic is infused into the oil.
Generously brush all the sprouts with garlic oil.  Sprinkle lightly with salt and a few chilli pepper flakes – depending on your taste.
Place into the oven and cook for 35–40 minutes or until sprouts are tender.  To eat them, simply use a knife to cut them off and serve with your meal.
Or you can have them as a starter or light lunch and dip them into some vegan mayonnaise or hummus.

Save the stalk, chop it up and use it in your next soup or stew.

'Cheesy' roasted tahini Brussels sprouts


Ingredients
Approx. 500g raw brussels sprouts.
1 tbsp tahini.
1 tbsp warm water.
1 tbsp olive oil.
1 tbsp nutritional yeast, plus more for topping.
2 tsp lemon juice.
½ tsp paprika.
½ tsp garlic powder.
½ tsp salt.

Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
In a small bowl, combine the tahini, water, oil, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, paprika, garlic powder, and salt and stir until a smooth sauce is formed.
In a medium-sized bowl, toss the Brussels sprouts with the sauce until pieces are nearly completely covered.
Lay the Brussels sprouts out on the baking tray and top with more nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper.  Next, place in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, turning over halfway through to ensure an even roast.  Once lightly browned, remove from the oven.

Photo of 'Cheesy' roasted tahini Brussels sprouts
NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE
#1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8.

Visit Veg Boxes page.