How about a new recipe? It's about time, right?
Chris and I just got back last week from an incredible adventure in Italy and Spain so I apologize for the lack of new recipes the last few weeks. Aside from being super fun, this trip was rather transformational for both of us and I've returned feeling like a new person, but that's a story for another post.
I'm still trying to get back on the ball when it comes to developing new recipes, so it's a good thing that I created this recipe back before our trip. I was trying to go through all of our produce before we left and I had a bunch of broccoli and a pound of brussels sprouts lingering in the crisper drawer. Broccoli is not my favorite vegetable and brussels sprouts are far from Chris's favorite so it's understandable that these were the last two things to get eaten. While this dish was in the oven and I was setting up the photo shoot, Chris came home.
"What's for dinner?" he asked.
"Brussels sprouts and broccoli," I replied.
Silence.
"And maybe some beans on the side," I continued.
Silence.
"I know you don't like Brussels sprouts, but this recipe will change your mind," I informed him.
"I highly doubt that," he muttered as he set up his camera.
Fast forward to tons of swearing (Devotees may remember that Chris tends to swear a lot when he enjoys what he's eating).
To put it mildly, Chris loved the maple roasted brussels sprouts in this dish and I loved the broccoli. It's savory, it's sweet, it's cheesy. There's dried cherries for a little bit of tang and almonds for a little bit of crunch. It's the kind of side dish that people can't wait for seconds of, but it's filling enough to stand on it's own as a main course. This dish pretty much has everything.
Since we've been back, I've been craving the foods we've been eating for the last few weeks: pizza, gelato, patatas bravas, and green olives. As I write this, however, and pour over all of the photos, choosing which ones to use in this post, I'm craving this dish all over again and I'm starting to not mind so much that vegan gelato isn't just a five minute walk away. Thank goodness Chris is on board with brussels sprouts now...
Ingredients
- 1 small bunch of broccoli, broken into florets and stems thinly sliced
- 14-15 brussels sprouts
- 4 tablespoons Bragg Liquid Aminos
- 3 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/3 cup + 1/3 cup nutritional yeast, separated
- 1/3 cup dried cherries
- 1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400. Lightly spray a 9x13 casserole baking dish with olive oil and set aside.
- Mix the Bragg Liquid Aminos, maple syrup, and olive oil in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Trim the brussels sprouts of any dirty/yellow/wilted outside leaves. Rinse them off. Trim the stem off and cut each one in half lengthwise. Add the brussels sprouts and the broccoli to the large bowl. Toss to coat every piece with the sauce.
- Sprinkle 1/3 cup of nutritional yeast over the vegetables. Toss to coat. Pour the contents of the bowl into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 25 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Remove, pour the remaining 1/3 cup of nutritional yeast over the vegetables and mix to combine. Mix in the dried cherries. Sprinkle with the toasted almonds and serve. Enjoy!
What is your least favorite vegetable? Do you have a way of preparing it that makes it more appealing to you?
P.S. Remember how last week Cadry of Cadry's Kitchen was a guest here on Keepin' It Kind and shared her vegan story? Well, today I'm a guest on her blog, on the newest episode of the V-List! Go on and check it out!
The Vegan Cookie Fairy
I hate brussels sprouts with a passion. Maybe this will make me like them?
keepinitkind
You'll have to give it a try and report back! 🙂
Liane
I used to hate brussels sprouts, because I remembered them being bland, mushy and generally unappealing. The only way I like them now is cut into very thin strips (like cabbage), and then fried for a few minutes with lots of spices (chilli, curry, paprika, etc). Your recipe looks great 🙂
keepinitkind
Great tip, Liane! I'll have to try it your way too! 🙂
Emily - It Comes Naturally
Welcome back! I love brussels cooked like this. I love so many vegetables, I don't know that I have a 'least favourite'. If it's good for me, I will find a way of enjoying it!
keepinitkind
That's a great attitude to have! I generally like all fruits and vegetables but broccoli is one of those that I have to try a little harder to find a way to enjoy it. 😉
Emma
Broccoli and brussels sprouts are 2 of my favourite vegetables 🙂 I can't think of a vegetable I'm not so keen on right now, I love them all!
I have some sprouts in the fridge whose destiny had not yet been decided but I think I know what I'm doing with them now 🙂
Looking forward to hearing about your Europe trip.
keepinitkind
I'm so happy that you tried it and liked it! Thanks for sharing on IG! 🙂
Shira
Ha ha hate to admit that there are veggies I don't like......but it would have to be eggplant! Only certain ways though. Love it blended in dips like baba ganoush, but never really cook with it otherwise. Glad to hear your trip was a goodie! xx
keepinitkind
Chris is the same way with eggplant. As long as it's disguised and he soesn't have to deal with the texture, we're all good. 🙂 Thank you for stopping by, Shira! xo
Alex
I've never really cooked vegan before, so I'm curious; what in this gives it the cheesiness? What kind of cheese would be best with it? I love brussels sprouts, so I'm ready to get started on these!
keepinitkind
The cheesiness comes from the Nutritional Yeast. Nutritional Yeast has a very nutty, cheesy, and delicious flavor and it's also super good for you. You can find it at most health food stores. Enjoy! 🙂
Liz
OhmyGod, thank the Heavens you're back. I've been going through serious withdrawal over here. 🙂 Anyway, welcome home! I'm so glad you and Chris had such an amazing trip. Can't wait to here all about it!
As for veggies, I pretty much love anything that comes out of the ground :), but I can not STAND the bitter ones -- dandelion greens, raddichio, broccoli rabe. Blech! I've come a LONG way from my pre-vegan days when iceberg lettuce was my veggie of choice, and NO ONE is more surprised by my now deep love of veggies and how much my palate has evolved and changed. But, honestly, I don't think I'll ever get on board with those veggies. I, literally, just can't stomach them.
PS Is your kitchen reno finished?
keepinitkind
Hahaha! It's good to be back, Liz. 🙂 As soon as we can sort through all of our pictures, y'all will be hearing all about it!
As for the kitchen reno... It hasn't even begun yet. Our landlord didn't care for our bids, so he's trying to get his own contractor but I don't think the numbers he's getting from them are any better. At this point, we don't really care any more. It's out of our hands and anything they do will be an improvement on our 1970's black ceramic tile with cracked grout. 🙂
Sarojini
Gad you had a good trip to Italy and Spain. This looks like a great recipe! I have used maple syrup on Brussels before and it is awesome. I can't stand spinach but I can tolerate it raw better than cooked, so I put some in a choc-date-banana-pb smoothie the other day and managed to get it down!
keepinitkind
Spinach is totally understandable- it does change the taste when you cook it. You've got the right idea, though- I love it in smoothies! 🙂
Bobbie {the vegan crew}
Welcome back! I've enjoyed catching a few glimpses of your vacation on Instagram and would love to hear more about it. If the pictures are any indication, it was beyond incredible!
I can't jump on the chard train -- I've tried, but it's just so bitter. Brussels sprouts, on the other hand, I l-o-v-e love, and my husband feels the same way about broccoli...so this recipe sounds like the perfect mix for us. I like that it's hearty enough to stand on its own as a main course as well.
keepinitkind
Thank you for following along on IG! We totally had a blast. 🙂
This recipe does sound perfect for you and the hubby! If you try it , I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
Alex Caspero MA,RD (@delishknowledge)
Looks yummy! I can totally appreciate coming back from a vacation like that. It's hard getting back into a pattern of eating normally again, but at the same time- a welcome change! We did Europe a few months ago and I remember being excited to eat healthy, but also disappointed I wouldn't be able to indulge in gelato & pastries every afternoon 🙂 This roasted vegetable dish sounds amazing.
keepinitkind
I know- I keep looking at my healthy bowl of oatmeal and wondering "Why are you not a soy cafe con leche and a vegan cinnamon roll?" It's good to be back on the wagon but boy do I miss those things! 🙂
Amanda
I love brussels sprouts, especially when they are roasted and the edges get all crispy - so good! I will definitely be making this recipe.
I think I pretty much enjoy all veggies. If I had to choose, I might say eggplant is one I wouldn't miss. Something about the texture throws me off, but coat it in a yummy sauce, and I can get past that. 🙂
keepinitkind
You said it- when the edges get all crispy and caramelized... That is the BEST! 🙂
Debra Rose
I love brussels sprouts and broccoli - adding maple syrup and nutritional yeast just puts it over the top for me. What a great side dish! Thanks for the recipe.
keepinitkind
Thank you for stopping by and sharing, Debra Rose!
Ali @ Inspiralized
Great minds think alike - I posted up a brussel sprout recipe today too! Love this, can't wait to try it, using my leftover brussel sprouts! Thanks for the post.
keepinitkind
So true- Great Minds... 🙂
Kylie @ FotV
Funny how something done right can chance a person's mind on a certain food! I made miso maple brussel sprouts for a bunch of people last Thanksgiving, all of whom made fun of me the entire time I was making them only to devour the suckers when they hit the table!
This sounds like a wonderful combination of flavors!
keepinitkind
Ooooh! I bet the miso just put it over the top! I'll have to try that next time! 🙂
Jess
This looks amazing - two of my favorite veggies!
My least favorite? Hm. I struggle a bit with more bitter greens like chard, too; I don't care for my onions or radishes raw (have you ever cooked a radish? takes the edge off), and I used to love beets but after a bad association can't stomach them anymore. Otherwise, I'm good to go! I'll eat bitter greens, onions, and radishes, but still working on the beet aversion.
keepinitkind
Beets are one of my faves, but I understand how they put some people off. And yes- I've tried cooking radishes and I don't think I'll ever eat them raw again! Roasted radishes are the best! 🙂
Jess Corra
Made this. OMG. We loved it!! The large amount of nooch with the maple syrup and the hit of saltiness almost made it taste like the veggies were coated in nut butter!
Anna {Herbivore Triathletre}
Welcome back!
I was never a fan of Brussels Sprouts until I discovered the secret to making them delicious; roasting them. Now they're one of my favorite veggies, in fact, I grew 6 plants in my garden this year and they're just about ready to harvest.
keepinitkind
I'm so jealous! I wish you were my neighbor so I could try a few of your homegrown brussels sprouts!
Richa
Welcome back! i have never made roasted maple brussels sprouts. they always sit in the refrigerator the longest.
keepinitkind
Then you totally need to try this one then! I'm sure you will love it! 🙂
Heather
Maybe I should make these for Justin, he is not a fan of Brussels at all...or on second thought he cringes at fruit in anything other than fruit salad (he is so weird) 🙂 I have a big stem of brussells in the fridge, I love them but can only eat so many in a week! I really do not dislike any one veggie- I pretty much love them all!
keepinitkind
That does sound like quite the experiment! You'll have to let me know how Justin likes it! 🙂
Cadry
I can't wait to hear more about your trip and why it was so transformational! Then again, I'm not surprised that vegan gelato would have a magical effect! 😉 This dish looks like such a beautiful blend of savory and sweet. Plus, I already love Brussels sprouts & broccoli, and so I'm sure to adore it. Welcome back!!
Katy
I made this recipe with only brussels sprouts for a potluck and everyone loved them. The introduction to late comers by those who had already tried them was "They're actually really good!!" with a mix of surprise and joy in their voices :). Great recipe for people who think they don't like brussells sprouts to convert them.
Lynette
This confirms you are a fantastic recipe developer - making something this good from two less than favourite greens (although I happen to adore broccoli!)
Lynette
What can I use in replacement of Bragg Liquid Aminos? I'm not in a country or town that offers 'unusual foods'.
KathyW
Loved this--my friend made it for Thanksgiving but she used cranberries, having forgotten to buy cherries. And it's vegan too which was terrific for me! Thanks for posting it!
P.S. It's "pore" over photos, not "pour." : )
Becky
Just wanted to let you know, I made this tonight and it was AMAZEBALLS! I thought the sauce seemed to thicken up and the flavors deepened as it cooled. Thanks for this great recipe!
Shauna
There aren't really any veggies I don't like, but I am not a big fan of the texture of okra. Blech! I am thinking of trying this recipe for Thanksgiving this year....does it have a very distinct nutritional yeast flavor? I love nutritional yeast, but I have a very vegan-skeptical family, so I want to make sure it will be acceptable for them. Also, I don't usually buy Bragg's...do you think I could use low-sodium soy sauce instead, or would that be too strong a flavor?
keepinitkind
I find that even my most vegan-skeptical family members love things flavored with nutritional yeast. It's like vegan magic powder. It does have a cheesy flavor but when combined with the maple syrup and liquid aminos, it takes on a more savory umami flavor that most people love. I think the low-sodium should work, but I haven't tried it. I know it can usually be subbed so I would give it a try! 🙂