Coconut Cream Brussel Sprouts

Coconut Cream Brussel Sprouts

In the continuing journey of getting more cruciferous vegetables into the diet, 'Coconut Cream Brussel Sprouts' was born.  (Cruciferous being the cabbage family: broccoli, cauliflower, kale, brussel sprouts, cabbage, bok choy/pak choi.)  Brussel sprouts have a certain harshness to them I have never fully appreciated.  Adding coconut oil and creamy coconut milk mellows them into a tender, savory, delicious veggie I would happily eat several times a week!  (Native Forest brand organic classic coconut milk with it's thick creamy conistency works well.)  This recipe makes approximately 4-5 cups once cooked.  The 8-9 cups raw fits nicely into a 15" cast iron pan. The garlic enhances the flavor a great deal also, and using garlic powder works well to evenly incorporate through the mixture.  ( 1 T minced fresh garlic is another option.)  A 2 pound bag of brussel sprouts will give you the 1  1/4 - 1 1/2 pounds of  trimmed brussel sprouts needed.  As the photos above show, the stem is trimmed off, along with any so-so outside leaves leaving them somewhat smaller, rounder, and ready for the food processor.

                                                  Coconut Cream Brussel Sprouts

1 1/4 - 1 1/2 pounds (#) trimmed brussel sprouts, (8-9 cups, slightly packed)
2 1/2 Tablespoons (T) extra virgin coconut oil
3/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 teaspoon (tsp) garlic powder
1 tsp whole salt
3/4 - 1 cup creamy coconut milk

Proccess the trimmed brussel sprouts in a large food proccessor using the 4mm slicing disc.  (approximately 1/8 inch thick.)  Warm a 15" cast iron pan (or equivalent) on medium/low.  Once warm but not smoking, melt coconut oil in it and add the brussel sprouts.  Mix in the seasonings and continue to stir the mixture every 1-2 minutes for 10-15 minutes until the thicker pieces are about half-cooked.  (Veggies should simmer gently without browning.)  Stir in 3/4 cup coconut milk.  Stir and simmer another 5-7 minutes, until the thick pieces are al dente and the outside pieces are still a nice green color.  (overcooking turns the leaves yellowish and the flavor is not as desirable.)  For a creamier version (our favorite,) stir in the remaining 1/4 cup coconut milk, bring just to a simmer and serve. 

Enjoy!

Finally!

Finally!  The 'Comfort Food' recipe book is now available for sale here!  Just click on the Comfort Food tab for more information.


This week brought temps of -2 F with windchills of -35 F, and today it's 50.  As they say around here:  if you don't like the weather, wait five minutes- it will change.  There are still several Winterbor kale  plants in the garden, and they've actually made it through once again!

Soon there will be a new brussel sprout recipe and kashi recipe posted, but they need a little more tweeking.  Will get back to you on those soon.
Blessings,  Jeanne

Storing Apples

Every fall my wonderful friend Terri lets me come and pick organic Burgundy, Granny Smith, and Empire apples from her trees to distribute to many families, food pantries, and local shelters.  She is such a blessing to so many!  We first store ours in the garage with netting over them to discourage  the furries from taking them: usually chipmunks and the occasional squirrel.  Although this year our dog Jack managed to slip his nose under the netting of one basket that quickly went from convex shape to concave. For about a week his first trip out in the morning became rather desperate.  Ahh, the laxative effects of too much fruit sometimes. Apparently all things in moderation is wise for dogs as well as humans!   The next location when there is a risk of freezing, is to put the remaining apples in a couple metal trash cans that have 1/4-3/8" holes drilled in the sides and top for air circulation. (Drill inside to out so the rough edges are on the outside.  We also put a short (2-3") wood stand drilled with holes in the bottom, but not sure if that is really needed.)  Then they are placed in the basement/root cellar  away from any squash that may be down there in their own fresh food only trash cans; apparently the apples reduce the keeping time of the squash. Last night the last of the Granny Smith were enjoyed as Apple Crisp bake.  Even though they were all a bit soft with some even a bit wrinkly, they baked up as well as the fresh ones.  The Public Market (Farmer's Market) in Downtown Rochester NY is open all year round (since 1905) with (among lots of other things) local apples for sale.  They are not as perfect this time of year as the ones in the stores but are still good for eating and especially baking, at a much better price. With a little searching you may find one in your area that stays open all year round too! 
(My apologies for the delay: making the recipe book available here has taken  longer than I anticipated.   The Comfort Food recipe book will be available on this site in approximately 7-10 days.  If you would like one sooner, it is also available on Amazon.)
Have a joyous and blessed day!