Veggie Snacks

Thanks to my crazy schedule lately, I'm rather behind on my food posts!  However, I did want to share our family's most favorite snack food lately: roasted brussel sprouts!

This discovery occurred quite by accident, and all started with a regular trip to our local farmer's market.  My daughter had been intrigued by the mound of brussel sprouts for weeks by then, but I always just walked right by since I had long ago classified brussel sprouts as a nasty-tasting, limp, and boring vegetable that I was forced to eat as child.  Ick!  Not a positive association.  I finally gave in not long after starting this blog, realizing I should be encouraging my 4-year-old's veggie curiosities and not perpetuating the vegetable aversion I've had for as long as I can remember.  <Sigh.>  So, I let her fill up the bag with brussel sprouts (trying not to gag and wondering how in the heck I was going to prepare them) and off we went.  Honestly, the bag of brussels stayed buried in the produce drawer for a good week.

Then, my husband saved the day.  Yes, he gets all the credit for this bit of (simple) brussel sprout magic :)

He sliced 1 lb of brussel sprouts in half lengthwise, and tossed them with just enough olive oil, salt, and pepper to lightly coat the veggies.  He then placed the brussel sprouts cut side down on a cookie sheet (trust me, this is important!), and baked at 375 or 400 degrees until the aroma filled the house and the veggies had a fabulous color on them.  Once they were out of the oven, he squeezed the juice of one lemon over top and . . . oila!  Easy peezy!

I do have to confess, agreeing to try these veggies was a bit of a "grin and bear it" moment for me.  Jim was so very proud of his creation, but I am pretty sure that I kept flashing back to the steamed brussel sprouts of my nightmares . . . at least, until I got the first bit in my mouth! 

Roasting transforms this vegetable into a little bit of heaven, while the olive oil and lemon juice combine to  elevate the flavors even further.  The way I kept eating these, you would have thought they were potato chips!  I am so very grateful that I gave in to Abby's veggie curiosity and Jim's culimary creation.  We happily snacked on brussel sprouts the whole night while watching the Olympics -- sounds crazy, I know!  But this, my friends, is a little bit of foodiva magic.  Promise.  :)