Spicy Honey Mustard Brussels Sprouts

My family loves brussels sprouts. Yes, those oft-maligned miniature cabbages that are more commonly served as a punchline than on a kid-friendly plate. We love them six ways from Sunday; heck, we'd love them six ways every Sunday. Even when my nine year-old was about two, he would ask for "more salad" every time I made brussels sprouts. We don’t necessarily fight over them per se, but there are plenty of eagle-eyed stares as they’re passed around, each of us mentally rendering an evaluation that “your fair portion is eight, not the ten- no, eleven you dished yourself.” While it’s fun to try new variations we never tire of the old standards, woven into the fabric of our family’s comfort food. 

I think a lot of folks shy away from an ingredient like brussels sprouts because they had them prepared poorly (i.e. boiled) as a child. It's like eating canned asparagus, or asking Bob Dylan to sing the national anthem. It can turn great into ghastly. So if you're a grown-up, now's your chance to hit the 'reset' button and discover the glorious flavor you’ve been missing. Never fear; if a two year old boy will eat brussels sprouts, then YOU have nothing to be afraid of. You just have to know how to prepare them to coax out their best traits: earthiness, crunchiness, a curious sweetness; an easy to cook, bite-sized cabbage that magically absorb all the flavors that you cook them in, like garlic, lemon, or bacon (and all three together?  Even better!) This is a quintessential brussels sprout recipe because some of the bitterness (one of the objections to them, I think?) is taken away by the addition of honey. Furthermore, this dish contains one of my all time favorite ingredients: mustard! These would be a great addition to your Thanksgiving table because you can have the ingredients ready to sauté them up while the turkey is resting, no oven space needed. They also make a year-round quick and easy weeknight side because they are a cinch to pull together. If roasting, fresh is best, but if preparing on the stove frozen will work just fine. So when you find your family quibbling over the last sprout don’t blame me (or your parents for boiling them), just remember to double the recipe and make them again this week.

Spicy Honey Mustard Brussels Sprouts (adapted from glutenfreewithlb.com)

1 T. unsalted butter

1 T. olive oil

2 lb. frozen brussels sprouts, thawed and halved if large

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 T. stone ground mustard

1 T. honey

2 t. salt

1 t. crushed red pepper

Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until the butter is melted.  Add the brussels sprouts and garlic and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 10-12 minutes until the brussels sprouts are heated through and starting to brown in spots.  Add the mustard, honey, salt and crushed red pepper and stir to combine and coat all the brussels sprouts.  Serve immediately.

6 servings (128 calories each serving) according to my calculator on loseit.com

Click the links for other brussels sprouts recipes:  Sauteed Brussels Sprouts, Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with Poppy Seeds and Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Vinegar.