Roasted Brussels Sprouts

I finally made roasted Brussels sprouts for the first time.  They were really easy to make, and I liked them! (Pretty basic recipe, but I followed one from allrecipes.com)

1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and yellow leaves removed
3 T. olive oil
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Place trimmed Brussels sprouts, olive oil, kosher salt, and pepper in a large resealable plastic bag. Seal tightly, and shake to coat. Pour onto a baking sheet, and place on center oven rack.
3. Roast in the preheated oven for 30 to 45 minutes, shaking pan every 5 to 7 minutes for even browning. Reduce heat when necessary to prevent burning. Brussels sprouts should be darkest brown, almost black, when done. Adjust seasoning with kosher salt, if necessary. Serve immediately.

Acorn Squash Rings

I used part of this recipe from Taste of Home.

1 large acorn squash
1 T. butter
1 T. maple syrup

Cut ends from squash.  Slice squash widthwise into four rings; remove seeds.  Place rings on a greased, foil-lines baking pan.  In a small saucepan, bring butter and maple syrup to a boil.  (I did this in the microwave.) Brush each ring with syrup mixture.

Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Uncover and bake another 10-15 minutes, basting with syrup mixture. (I didn't cover the squash, or rebaste at any time.)

Braised Red Cabbage

This recipe came for DrWeil's website. I had a half of a head of red cabbage to use, so I halved the recipe.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 large yellow onion, chopped 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced 1 large head red cabbage, cored and sliced 1/4-inch thick 1 large green apple, peeled, cored, and diced 3 large cloves garlic, pressed 1 bay leaf (I did not use a bay leaf) 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves (I did not use cloves) 1 1/2 cups dry red wine (I used apple juice instead of wine) 1/4 cup red wine vinegar (I used regular vinegar) 2 tablespoons light-brown sugar 1 cup peeled chestnuts (optional) (I did not use chestnuts) Salt to taste

Instructions

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and carrots and sauté over medium heat until onion is translucent. 2. Add the cabbage and apple and mix well, then add salt to taste, the garlic, the bay leaf, cloves, wine, vinegar and sugar. 3. Bring to a low boil, cover, and cook for about 1 hour. 4. Remove bay leaf and correct seasoning to taste. You may also add the peeled chestnuts to cook in the braising liquid.

Kale Chips Fail

Fresh kale

I'm always looking for new ways to introduce healthy foods to my family. I've read in several places about baking kale to make kale chips, so I decided to give it a try. Raina and I rinsed the kale and broke it off the tough stems. I laid it out on a sheet pan, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt. The directions I read called for 20-30 minutes cook time, so I set the timer for 15 minutes. Unfortunately the kale was overcooked at this point, burnt on the edges. We tried a few that were the least burnt, but had to throw most of them out.
I read reviews that compared the kale chips to potato chips. Other than the crispiness, I didn't get the similarity. Maybe some day we'll try again, but not for awhile!

Burnt to a crisp

Oven Roasted Red Potatoes and Asparagus

1 1/2 pounds red potatoes, cut into chunks
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced (I didn't have fresh garlic, so I sprinkled with garlic powder)
4 tsp. dried rosemary (I didn't measure, just sprinkled the rosemary and thyme)
4 tsp. dried thyme
2 tsp. kosher salt (I used regular salt)
1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. (I would spray the dish with cooking spray to prevent the potatoes from sticking) In a large baking dish, toss the red potatoes with 1/2 the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme and 1/2 the kosher salt. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Mix in the asparagus, remaining olive oil, and remaining salt. Cover and continue cooking 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. Remove foil and continue cooking 5 to 10 minutes until potatoes are lightly browned. Season with pepper; serve.
When I made this, the potatoes were nearly cooked when I took them out to add the asparagus, so 15 minutes initially should be enough, plus and additional 10-15 with the asparagus (including the 5-10 minutes without foil). Just use a fork to test if the potatoes are tender/done.