Brussels sprouts Archives - A Calculated Whisk

Cider-Glazed Chicken with Roasted Cauliflower Rice

January 25, 2016 By Becky 20 Comments

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This cider-glazed chicken with roasted cauliflower rice is an easy but gourmet paleo meal that comes together quickly. It’s also Whole30-compliant!

I’ve had a jug of local cider in the fridge since Christmas, and have been wanting to reduce it into some kind of sauce for a savory dish. The idea got stuck in my head right away, so even though I love to have a glass of cider on its own, I’ve pretty much just been saving it, biding my time until a great idea for something savory with cider sauce came along.

Serendipitously, I found the idea as soon as I started exploring Erin’s blog, The Spiffy Cookie, which was my assignment for this month’s Secret Recipe Club reveal. Erin has an index of all her gluten-free recipes, which made it really easy to find good candidates for me to adapt into paleo-friendly dishes. (I had to avert my eyes from all of her ridiculously good-looking desserts, but will be back to browse those once my Whole30 is over!) Before the gluten-free recipes page had even fully loaded, Erin’s cider-glazed chicken with browned-butter pecan rice caught my eye.

Orange-Glazed Brussels Sprouts (Whole30 Day 10)

January 11, 2014 By Becky 6 Comments

I’ve made it to Day 10 of my Whole30! It feels good to be 1/3 of the way there, and I am loving eating so many vegetables. I’m not loving being the only one who can’t have any bread when we’re out to dinner, but so far the pros outweigh the cons. I like how the Whole30 forces me to be creative in the kitchen, finding new ways to make meat, eggs, and vegetables extra delicious.

As a kid I never liked brussels sprouts, because I’d only tried the mushy, boiled ones. The first time Ben made me Brussels sprouts, I was totally surprised. I LOVED them. He pan-fried them in a skillet until they were browned and crisp around the edges, and sprinkled them with plenty of Cajun seasoning. It’s a simple technique, but somehow it never tastes as good when I try to make it.

Since I’m not the best at making sprouts Ben’s way, I decided to think of a new way to prepare them. I love roasting vegetables because it’s so easy, and a parchment-lined cookie sheet means minimal cleanup. I was inspired by the huge box of oranges I have to create an easy glaze with fresh orange juice and zest, coconut aminos, and chili paste. The results were so delicious that I ate the entire batch for lunch! The glaze is spicy and sweet, and since the Brussels sprouts are roasted instead of cooking in the sauce, they retain their nice crispy edges.

Someday soon, I hope to use this recipe to convince a new person that they love Brussels sprouts. Maybe it will be you!

If you already love Brussels sprouts, what’s your favorite way to prepare them?

Veggie Hash & Eggs

August 2, 2013 By Becky 4 Comments

This morning when I woke up, I wanted to do something a little different with my eggs. When I saw the vegetables we had in the fridge (asparagus and Brussels sprouts), I started to wonder why some vegetables are a common find at breakfast time, while some are not. Mushrooms, peppers, and onions are often seen as omelette fillings, but Brussels sprouts not so much.