Name: Spicy Maple Brussels Sprouts
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 500 g Brussels Sprouts (Stems trimmed, outer leaves removed, and cut in half.); 2 Tbsp Olive Oil; 2 Tbsp Maple Syrup; 1 1/2 Tbsp Sriracha chili sauce; 1 tsp Grainy Mustard; 1/2 tsp Salt; 1/2 cup Dried Cranberries; 1/2 cup Walnuts

Time for another quarantine recipe everyone! Brussels sprouts are a totally underrated vegetable, and there are so many great ways to prepare them. These Spicy Maple Brussels Sprouts are a super simple and yummy recipe that I was able to throw together quickly, using only ingredients I had in my pantry. Walnuts and cranberries alongside the Brussels sprouts makes this dish a pretty darn healthy as well. These make a really good side dish or a great vegetarian main meal. Hopefully this will be a good recipe for you to cook up for a tasty quarantine recipe.

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Yummy roasted Brussels sprouts alongside walnuts, cranberries, and a spicy maple glaze.

Brussels Sprout Benefits

During this time of isolation, staying safe at home means also trying to stay healthy. Since going to the gym is out of the question, it’s so important to be eating healthy whenever you can. Brussels sprouts are a perfect addition to your weekly meals. They’re a great source of vitamin C and K as well as Folate and carotenoids (beta-carotene for example). Keeping your vitamin intake up is so important for you, especially with all the anxiety and stress we’re all feeling. Brussels sprouts are also full of fiber. Some people have a trouble digesting them so adding them into your diet should only be 1-2 times a week. While varying your diet with other dark green veggies to help your body to get all the nutrients it needs.

Walnut Benefits

I love walnuts so much, they end up in a lot of our cooking in this house. Partially because Mike doesn’t like pecans (which used to be my old go-to nut) but also because they are also super good for you. My family has a history of cardiovascular disease, so I tend to lean towards ingredients that are said to be good for heart health. And walnuts are a great choice for that! Walnuts are high in polyunsaturated fatty acids which are healthier saturated fats. Though many other nuts contain a mix of both monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fatty acids, that are still better than saturated fats. However, the combination of fats specific to walnuts may be particularly good for cardiovascular health. This paper from The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has a full brain full of wonderful walnut info, if you’re up for a science-y read.

Cranberries

Cranberries not only add a little fruity tartness to this dish but they really match wonderfully with Brussels sprouts. The acidity compliments the sprouts earthy, savoury flavour. I usually keep a bag of dried cranberries in the cupboard to add to salads and dishes like this one. If you don’t have cranberries, a lot of other dried fruits would work here as well. Try to pick something with a bit of tartness, like apricots, as a good replacement. Or raisins with a squeeze of lemon juice will give the same sweet tartness.

Cranberries aren’t necessarily a super food, but they are very high in vitamin C and quite high in fiber. But since they’re so high in vitamin C, they’re also a great source of antioxidants, so excellent for brain health! The only thing to watch for in your dried cranberries is to make sure you get some with no added sugar.

So there you go, a tasty and nutritious dish to spruce up those Brussels sprouts hanging out in your crisper drawer. Stay healthy, stay safe, stay home, and wash your hands!