Recipe: Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Apple + Shallot

Sometimes I think the amount of carcinogens I eat equates to a pack-a-day kinda habit. And by sometimes, I mean every time I cook a vegetable. Which almost always means roasting it to a semi-burnt, charred crisp. But it tastes SO GOOD.

Gosh, are you like beyond sold on roasting veggies now? Health concerns aside (which, please know, I am inflating times a thousand in my head because I do that a lot), roasting pretty much any vegetable transforms it into something nutty, sweet and crispy around the edges. Some fine contenders are asparagus, carrots, parsnips, broccoli, and cauliflower. But Brussels sprouts are my absolute favorite as of late.

Typically I’ll just toss them with a little olive oil, salt and pepper – then into the crematory oven they go. But sometimes you want something a little more. Enter: apples! Apples are always good, especially in the fall. And so are shallots. Tossing in a few more ingredients takes but an extra 5 minutes, and results in a fancy schmancy side dish, instead of just a plate of roasted veggies (which obviously – I have nothing against).

Recipe: Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Apple + Shallot

Ingredients (serves 2-4)

1 10 oz container of Brussels sprouts (that’s the size of the little cardboard bucket they usually come in)

1 apple (unpeeled), diced (about ¼ to ½ inch dice)

1 medium shallot, sliced crosswise so you get nice rings

Olive oil, to coat

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (could also try apple cider, but skip the sugar)

1 tsp sugar

½ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with foil and set aside.

Cut the stem ends off of the Brussels sprouts. Stand them up on their flat end, and cut in half (smaller sprouts) or thirds (larger sprouts). Place on baking sheet (include any leaves that fall off while cutting – they get nice and crispy). Add diced apples and shallots, separating the shallot slices into rings as you go.

Add olive oil, vinegar, sugar, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to vegetables. Toss to coat. Arrange so that sprouts are cut-side down.

Roast for 25 to 35 minutes until the bottom (cut-side) of the sprouts are brown and crispy. Toss veggies, and roast for an additional 5 minutes.