Barley and Sprouts Salad

This amazing salad came from Food Network magazine, and it's equally delicious served warm or cold.  I served it warm with dinner, then ate leftovers cold for a snack at work the next day.  I'm nuts for Brussels sprouts anyway, and I was happy to find an interesting way to incorporate barely into my diet.  I'm always looking to make friends with new, healthy vegetarian foods!

Ingredients:
2 c. vegetable broth
1 c. barley
1/2 t. salt, separated
2 t. olive oil
12 oz. Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced (about 3 c.)
grated lemon zest of one lemon

Method:
Bring the vegetable broth and 1/4 c. water to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Stir in the barley and 1/4 t. salt.  Cover and cook over medium heat until the liquid is absorbed.  (Check the barley package for times.)

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil  in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the Brussels sprouts, lemon zest, and 1/4 t. salt to the skillet.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sprouts are the texture you like them.  (The recipe calls for "crisp-tender", but I like mine kind of soft so I cooked them longer.)

Toss the cooked barley with the cooked Brussels sprouts, and serve warm, room temperature, or even cold.  Serves 4 as a side dish.

Brussels Sprouts Ragout

I modified this recipe from one in the local daily newspaper, The Commercial Appeal. They cited their source as Vegetarian Times. They had it with a lemon/balsamic vinegar/maple syrup pan sauce, but I like it better with a simple shot of lemon. If you're not crazy about Brussels sprouts, this is one way to make them more approachable, mixing them with other vegetables. If you ARE crazy about Brussels sprouts (like me), it's yet another way of enjoying them!

 

 

 

Ingredients:
2 T. vegan margarine (I use Earth Balance.)
2 T. olive oil
1 lb. Brussels sprouts, washed/stemmed/quartered
2 1/2 c. thickly slicked leeks, all of the white and some of the green  (Wash the slices carefully, because leeks often have dirt and grit in the layers.
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 c. baby spinach, washed

salt and freshly-ground pepper, to taste
juice of 1 fresh lemon
1/2 c. toasted pecans (optional - Scott won't touch a savory dish with nuts in it!  You don't have to, either!)

Method:
Heat 1 T. margarine and 1 T. olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add the Brussels sprouts, cover, and cook 8 - 10 minutes or until some are browned.  Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl.

Return the pot to medium-low heat and heat the remaining 1 T. margarine and 1 T. olive oil.  Add leeks, cover, and cook 7 - 10 minutes or until leeks are soft and some are browned.  Uncover, add garlic, and sauté 1 minute.  If any browned bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan, add 2 T. water to the pan and use a spatula to scrape them up, but do not remove them.

Mix the Brussels sprouts back in with the leeks, add the spinach, and cook until the spinach is wilted.  Stir in lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste.  Garnish with pecans, if using.

Serves 2 - 3 as a side dish.

Oven-Roasted Brussels Sprouts

I know what you are thinking. Brussels sprouts. EEeew! But if you like cabbage or broccoli, it's fair to try this out. They're healthy. They're good!
You may have noticed that I like to give credit where it's due, so for the record, the recipe that this comes from was from Wild Oats (before they got bought out by Whole Foods). It is, as always, modified to suit my tastes.

1 lb. Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
juice of one lemon
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Put Brussels sprouts in a roasting pan. I actually put mine in a cast iron skillet. I have read that it is beneficial to vegans and vegetarians (disclaimer: I am not a doctor!) to cook in cast iron, because the food picks up iron from the cookware. Either way, put the sprouts in there, and toss with the olive oil. Bake for 10 - 15 minutes, turning once with a spatula, until tender and browning. Toss the sprouts (I do it right in the pan, but if you are doing it properly, it'd probably be in the serving bowl.) with the lemon juice and salt/pepper to taste.