This is another guest post from AndreAnna at Life As A Plate. Thanks, AndreAnna for such a wonderful recipe!
I have a thing for Brussels sprouts. I eat them probably twice a week. And the more whole food nutritional research I do and the more books I read, I have come to the decision that Brussels sprouts are one the under-sung heroes of the superfoods. Seriously, they should probably have a cape. Rich in Vitamin and beta-carotene (vitamin A), they also have nitrogen compounds called indoles which may reduce the risk of certain cancers, most specifically bladder and colon.
Once I saw these babies in the supermarket yesterday I had to have them:
Seriously, how huge are those? But because I had recently posted not one but two Brussels Sprouts recipes on my own site – one for a Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Bacon and one for Maple Glazed with Prosciutto – I asked Kristen if she would be up for my next recipe here!
One of my good friends is also a foodie like me and when she was here last time visiting and we were throwing down in the kitchen (she is the co-inventor of my Spicy Bacon Guacamole Dip), she mentioned something about an often-requested hot slaw made with shredded Brussel sprouts. From the supermarket, I texted her and she emailed me her recipe and I used it as a base for my own creation.The flavor of the bacon and the caraway seeds offsets the slight sweetness of the dijon and cranberry perfectly. Add in a little bit of blanched slivered almonds for a nice crunch in the soft slaw.
When I first tasted it, I was surprised how un-Brussels-sprout-like tasting it was. It was amazingly delicious without having that typical taste associated with the wee baby cabbages which I think is what puts so many people off. I’d wager to say that even haters of the Brussels sprout might like this recipe! I even bet (now shhhh….this is our secret…) they wouldn’t even know if you didn’t tell them!
Bacon Brussels Sprout Slaw with Cranberries and Almonds
The Players
- 4 c. shredded Brussels sprouts
- 7 slices bacon, diced
- 1 small-medium red onion, in thin slices
- 3/4 c. beef stock
- 2 tsp caraway seeds
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp Grade B Maple syrup (where to find maple syrup)
- 1/4 c. dried cranberries
- 1/3 c. slivered blanched almonds
- 1 tbsp butter
The How-To
1) Start by running the sprouts under cold water to remove any excess dirt. Then cut of the bottoms and remove the outer leaves if they’re dirty/damaged. Cut in half and place in food processor with a shredder attachment.
2) In a large saucepan, cook the diced bacon until brown and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel.
3) Once the bacon is removed, add the onion to the bacon fat and cook on medium for around 10 minutes until the onions caramelize. Add a little beef broth if needed here to deglaze, making sure you scrape all the yummy crunchy bits off the bottom.
4) Add in the shredded Brussels sprouts, remainder of beef broth, dijon mustard, maple syrup, and turn to high. Cook 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly until the liquid is absorbed and the sprouts soft.
5) Remove from heat and stir in the butter, caraway seeds, dried cranberries, and almond slivers.
6) Serve as a delicious cancer-fighting side dish.
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Wow! This looks GREAT! Will be trying for next week’s dinner side. I, too, am a Brussels Sprouts lover. Finally got husband on board last fall, so I can finally cook with them a few times a year. PTL! (That’s praise the Lord!) Thanks for the great recipe share, AndreAnna!
This sounds amzingly delicious and I’m NOT a fan of Brussels sprouts. I’ll eat them, but don’t seek them out. Seems to me it could pass for a luncheon salad. Saving this to favorites!
One question though-I’m seeing Grade B maple syrup in several recipes lately-is that just a cheaper version of Grade A? Any harm using my Grade A if the only Grade B I can find is more expensive?
Hi Kelly —
Grade B Maple Syrup *is* cheaper, but it’s also more nutritious. It’s got more mineral content and a little less sugar content than Grade A maple syrup. Hope that helps!
Thanks Kristen, just getting back to try the recipe. I’ll have to look for grade B-haven’t seen it anywhere, but I’m in a small town w/o many options.
Hi – I just found your website and love it! I am definitely a food renegade and so pleased to find all this great info in one place. I do notice that you use bacon in your recipes. I have always felt that pork (esp bacon, even if it’s organic and all) was not a very healthy meat. The same with shellfish. I always considered pigs to be ‘garbage disposals’ and shellfish to be the “roaches of the sea.” Please let me know your thoughts as I am very interested in another perspective on these foods.
Thanks!
Hi Kate,
Just because pigs and shellfish eat “garbage” doesn’t mean they aren’t healthy! Cows eat food that we can not — grass — and turn it into something we can consume — nutrient-dense dairy, organ meats, muscle meats, mineral-rich bones, and nourishing fats. The same is true with pigs and shellfish. Shellfish are among the most nutrient-dense of all seafood — more so than fish. Pigs, if allowed to forage in a natural environment, are comparably rich in Vitamin D. And their fat (i.e. lard and bacon) is high in the good kinds of monounsaturated and saturated fats our bodies need. Plus their ability to eat just about anything and turn it into nutrient-dense food for us in a relatively short period of time (naturally!) makes them the quintessential farm animal. While they’re alive they’re excellent natural composters! Of course, I wouldn’t recommend industrial pork. They’re raised in crowded, inhumane conditions and fed a diet far too high in grains — so their balance of fats is skewed (and Vitamin D is almost non-existent).
Two questions: (1) The removed bacon — does it get added into the slaw? (2) Would turkey bacon work?
Yes, the removed bacon is added back in. And I can’t see why it wouldn’t work with turkey bacon, although I don’t eat it. There may not be enough fat rendered from the turkey bacon to cook the onions in though, so just add some oil or butter.
I make almost this same thing but I don’t shred the Brussels sprouts, just halve or quarter them and then add just a sprinkle of blue cheese when serving. Yum, good.
While I heartily advocate real food, as opposed to processed and/or GMO, and I applaud your dedication to that, it is obvious from this post that you have never watched the film ‘Forks Over Knives, read the China Study, or seen any of the other documentary films such as Hungry For Change , and Food Matters. Trying to make something healthful like Brussels sprouts palatable by adding unhealthful things such as bacon (salt, nitrates, fat, and unless organic, from pigs fed GMO corn), and sugar(in the form of maple syrup)is just not, in my opinion, promoting good food. What’s wrong with Brussels sprouts roasted in the oven and served with just a bit of Himalayan salt? Why is it necessary to add all of the other unhealthful ingredients? Again, this is just my opinion (I love Brussels Sprouts plain), but I do suggest you at least watch Forks Over Knives, and Hungry For Change if you haven’t already. It will broaden your perspective and improve what is a great idea (your page). Thanks for listening.
I have seen and read all of these things, but I do not find their arguments compelling.
For more on this, see: https://www.foodrenegade.com/the-china-study-discredited/
I surely wish you had a “print” button on your recipes. 🙂
Kristen, I love so many of your recipes and I’m dying to try this one, however, am I missing where on your blog you can print the recipes off, without getting all the comments and wasting 5-6 pieces of paper for a simple, BUT DELICIOUS recipe?
Thanks!
Leslie
Aha! For now you need to copy & paste into a doc, then print. I used to have a Print-Friendly button that made it easy, but the button broke my theme so I had to remove it. I still haven’t replaced it, although I likely will within the next week or so.
Kristen, have u actually been to the Village green site ??? I clicked on the link to find out about maple syrup. There was NO category offered that related to food products that would show maple syrup. I clicked on ALL the tabs, none led me to maple syrup. also there is not a search entry bar to ask for a specific item. Whats up with that ?? If this site has maple syrup, they are hiding it very well.
Maple syrup grading varies, and some US states, like New Hampshire and Maine don’t have a grading scale. Canada uses numbers for its way to grade. If you find yourself looking at syrup that isn’t graded, use the darkest one you can find.
I slice them in 1/2 & roast them in the oven seasoned w/ a tiny bit of oil, garlic, parsley & whatever herbs I fancy at the time. Roast flat side down after tossing the sprouts to coat them in the oil & herbs. My son (16) eats them up like little finger foods. 🙂
the best way I had them ever- they were lightly steamed and then sauteed in butter with a little maple syrup and toasted pine nuts were added. It was for a thanksgiving dinner.
Yum! I already love Brussels Sprouts, but I’m always looking for new ways to prepare them. 🙂