How my 4 year old convinced me to eat brussel sprouts.

 

Does anyone’s kids watch Olivia on Nick Jr.?  This is my daughter’s favorite show.  Probably because my daughter is very much like Olivia.  Well Olivia’s best friend is Francine and one day when Olivia has dinner with Francine's family they eat brussel sprouts.  So the other day we are shopping at Trader Joes and my daughter yells “BRUSSEL SPROUTS! Can we please get some?!”  Well let me tell you my first instinct is to say “um, honey you aren't gonna like them.”  Then the mom instinct kicked in and I said. “ Of course lets get some!!”  Well we got home and I thought ugh how am I going to cook these so I can eat them without gagging and how am I going to cook them so that my daughter might actually eat them!  I wasn’t too worried about her because she loves raw cauliflower and oo’s and aah’s over them like candy. It was me that was pretty nervous.  Cause come on.  Brussel Sprouts.  Well whenever I am in doubt of something what do I do… I “Google it”  And of course it didn’t let me down.  The number one result was for my culinary hero Ina Garten.  Duh!! of course.  So here's what she said.

Roast them.  Ahha!

And it was so easy.  Olive oil, salt and pepper, oven 350 for 35 minutes.  What can be easier.  I was starting to get hopeful.  Then, what Ina is so great at.  She said.  “when they come out of the oven salt them like french fries”.  Now I was actually getting excited!

They were delicious!  Crunchy and salty on the outside and just the right texture on the inside. 

Even my husband liked them.  The surprise really was my daughter didn’t love them because they didn’t look like Francine’s.  But she ate her whole serving and now I have another vegetable to add to the mix.

So, are you weary of brussel sprouts?  Give them a try you won’t be disappointed.

Clover