Honey Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Love-Hate Relationship
As you may or may not know, I’m not the biggest fan of brussels sprouts. At least I used to be. I was like the little kid who would not eat brussels sprouts because it smells funny. I would only eat it if paired with bacon. And since we started this blog I’ve challenged myself to create recipes with brussels sprouts. But without any bacon and still make it delicious. One of the first recipes I did when we started was the veggie tricolore stir-fry. But the season for brussels sprouts was already coming to an end at that point. And now I get to continue my quest for brussels sprouts recipes sans bacon.
Honey Roasted Brussels Sprouts
It feels like cheating a bit because instead of adding bacon I added another flavor enhancer that just makes everything better. HONEY. DO you think that is considered cheating? Or do I get a pass… But the honey is also being balanced out with some balsamic vinegar and fresh thyme. While it’s roasting in the oven you get this beautiful waft of smell coming out of the oven.
I also added some extra veggies to create the perfect side dish to any protein. It includes pumpkin for a nice pop up of color. And it also adds a different velvety texture to the dish. This recipe also has some apples for a little bit of freshness. And walnuts for a crunch. Texture wise I’ve have got it covered.
Tray Bakes
I think I’ve mentioned my love for tray bakes before. And I think I’m about to start another rant in favor of tray bakes. Because I think mentioning it once does not accurately convey my love for tray bakes. I mean it’s all because it is so simple. You only have to add everything to one tray and pop it in the oven. And the fact that it is easy doesn’t mean that it lacks in flavor. Like I explained above the flavor and textures are all balanced out. It’s also super versatile, you can add your protein to it and have everything done. Like Andrea did with the stuffed turkey breast with brussels sprouts recently. Or even make dessert, like this raspberry swirl sheet cake. Either way the concept stays the same. One tray and done!
We had this for dinner with some chicken and leftovers in the morning with a fried egg. But anything goes.
Honey Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Pumpkin and Apple
Ingredients
- 500 gram brussels sprouts
- 400 gram pumpkin cubed
- 2 apples
- ½ cup walnuts
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 tsp salt
- black pepper freshly grounded
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C on the roast setting.
- Slice the stem of the brussels sprouts and cut in half.
- Peel and deseed the apples. Cut into wedges and slice in half to get slightly bigger chunks.
- Add brussels sprouts, pumpkin and apples to a bowl.
- In a separate smaller bowl whisk together the honey, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, thyme and salt.
- Pour mixture over veggie mix,
- Place veggies on baking sheet and place in the oven for 15 minutes.
- Add the walnuts after 15 minutes and put back in the oven for another 5 minutes.
- Take out sprinkle with some extra salt and enjoy.