Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Walnuts

All my boys love this simple preparation of Brussels sprouts.

The bright green sprouts look beautiful on a dinner plate

Growing up with Brussels sprouts on my dinner plate, I never understood why my friends used to stick their noses up at them. Mom simply steamed and buttered them and we thought they were divine. But for some reason, Brussels sprouts sad reputation preceded them and most people I know never ate them.

Northern California is the largest producer of sprouts in the United States and the season runs from June through January.  Between January and June, we can get them from Mexico, just south of us. We are fortunate to have access to this super-food fresh year round. About 80% of the crop in California is frozen and shipped around the country.

Brussels sprouts are part of the Brassica family (as is broccoli) and contain sulforaphane which is a chemical believed to have strong anti-cancer properties.  They also contain indole-3-carbinol which is known to boost DNA repair in cells.

Servings:  5

Prep and cook time:  20 minutes

1 pound brussels sprouts, rinsed

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup walnuts, toasted

salt and pepper to taste

Trim the bottoms off the Brussels sprouts and slice them as shown.  

Heat the oil and butter together in a large skillet.  For a vegan option, omit the butter and increase the olive oil.

Meanwhile toast the walnuts.  (These may actually be cooked earlier and set aside).   I use a dry skillet and cook them over low heat until they begin to brown and you can smell their aroma.  Watch them though as they will quickly burn if not removed from the heat in time.

Saute the Brussels sprouts for about 5-6 minutes or until they start to soften.  Add in the walnuts and continue cooking for another minute or two until the sprouts are tender.  Remove from heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Stir thoroughly and serve.

For Christmas dinner, I added a couple of ounces of chopped pancetta which I

sauteed with the oil and butter and then removed from the pan.

 I added the pancetta back in at the same time as the walnuts.  Yum!

An added bonus to this side-dish are, of course, the walnuts. Walnuts are one of the few plant sources of omega-3 essential fatty acids, about 3 grams in a 1-ounce serving.  They also contain good amounts of vitamin C, B-vitamins, magnesium, copper, and zinc.

Calories for one serving of this recipe is about 170 calories with 3 grams fiber, 4 grams protein, 8 grams carbs, and about 15 grams fat mostly in the form of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. In addition, there is 70% RDA for vitamin C, 30% for copper, and about 35% for manganese.

- Kim Fielding

Friendships and Food - First Friday

There is something special about getting together with friends and having supper. Thanksgiving, Easter, and other holidays usually involve planning meals, figuring out where the guests will sit, how they will be entertained, or whatever.   True friendships have been decided and divided over meals.  Mostly though, a good meal draws people together.

We are a rather large group so if someone has a smaller house,

 they typically choose a summer month so we can eat outside. 

We don't have a big house, but our month was January so we

just piled people into our living room with borrowed chairs and tables.

Once a month, for the last several years, a group of us get together on the"First Friday" of every month.   The brainchild of one of the "FFers", it came about because we all have sons who have grown up together and the parents all really like each other. In fact, over the years, we have come to rely on each other and always know we have each other's backs.

This month's host (me) made pasta Bolognese.  The other members provided

two amazing green salads, an antipasta platter, fruit platter, grilled vegetables,

marinated mushrooms, fresh bread, and an assortment of cookies.

Host for the month decides on a main dish that they will provide. Everything else is potluck and the other First Friday gang members decide on something to compliment the food theme.  Sometimes people are out of town and we miss them, but can always catch up the following month.  No one has dropped out of the group after all this time and as we go on, we realize the importance of seeing each other. It has been proven that smiles among friends go a long way towards healing in so many ways.

Dive in!

We worry and discuss issues, share secrets, drink and eat yummy stuff, laugh A LOT, sometimes cry, and more importantly, use the event of breaking bread together as the reason we all support and love each other. These people have become so important in our lives and it would not have happened without the commitment and organization of all of the First Friday participants.

Look at all of the beautiful salads and fruit.  A perfect compliment to

a pasta main dish.

One thing we all share is an interest in health.  Friends help friends be healthy.  Physically and emotionally.  The food offerings have become leaner over time and it is fun to plan a monthly meal with a group.  Not everyone is a chef but that doesn't deter people from trying, or, from finding something already made that fits the bill.

Try this and Enjoy!

- Kim Fielding