Recipe

Brussels Sprouts with Mustard

Accompanying Newsletter: Gluten-Free but not Symptom-Free

Serves 3 to 4

Here's a quick way to gussie up one of my favorite vegetables. Simply stir in a spoonful of mustard at the end of cooking to lightly dress the vegetable. Couldn't be easier. If the Brussels sprouts are tightly formed and have a fresh aroma you'll have a great dish. If they are less than fresh, then an extra dollop of mustard will help temper their stronger flavor.

I'm offering two different cooking methods. The first uses little water and yields a more nutrient dense vegetable; in the second method, the greens retain their bright color but water soluble nutrients and some flavor will be lost in the water.

¾ pound Brussels sprouts
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons prepared mustard

Wash the sprouts, remove any yellow or damaged leaves and trim the stem end. If the sprouts are large, cut them in halves or quarters. Leave smaller sprouts whole but cut an "x" into their stem end to expedite cooking.

Method #1 More Nutrient Dense - Bring ½ cup salted water to a boil, add the vegetables, cover and cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until they are fork tender. You should end up with just enough water to cover the bottom of the pot. Stir in mustard to taste. Season with salt and pepper.

Method #2 Brighter Colored Vegetable - Bring a quart of salted water to boil, add the Brussels sprouts and cook, uncovered, for 6 to 8 minutes or until they're fork tender. Drain off all but a tablespoon of water, stir in the mustard to taste. Season with salt and pepper.

May you be well nourished,

Rebecca Wood