Brussels Brussels Sprouts (with Quinoa)

You Tube Note: I posted a video on the Brussels sprouts preparation. Click on this link to see it: http://youtube/DxkhIZ_9PhA

You’ve heard of Little Women and Little House on the Prairie. Well, this posting is about little cabbages, better known as Brussels sprouts. The capital B is for the city of Brussels, Belgium, supposedly the city where these miniature cabbages originated. I once grew them and had a greater appreciation for harvesting them from their stalks.

Here is what Wikipedia says: Brussels sprouts are a cultivar of the same species that includes cabbage, collard greens, broccoli, kale, and kohlrabi; they are cruciferous (they belong to the Brassicaceae family; old name Cruciferae). They contain good amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid and dietary fibre. Moreover, they are believed to protect against colon cancer, because they contain sinigrin.^[5] Although they contain compounds such as goitrin that can act as goitrogens and interfere with thyroid hormone production, realistic amounts in the diet do not seem to have any effect on the function of the thyroid gland in humans.^{[6]

Click on links for more info.)}

The recipe below incorporates quinoa to make an entree or grain-centered side dish.

Utensils: Large, wide saucepan and deep saucepan; cutting board and knife; measuring spoons and cups
Prep. Time: About 20 hour
Cooking Time: About 15 minutes
Categories: Vegan, Gluten & Sugar Free, salt-free option

Ingredients
1/2 cup quinoa*, rinsed well
1 cup water or soup stock for quinoa
1 1/2 cups water for Brussels sprouts
about 3 cups Brussels sprouts (washed & trimmed)
6 or 7 slices of leek
1/4 cups slivered almonds
1 garlic clove, minced
salt & pepper to taste (optional)
sesame oil (toasted or untoasted)

Directions

1. Since the quinoa takes 15 minutes to cook and the Brussels sprouts about 10 minutes, start by adding 1/2 cup rinsed quinoa into a deep saucepan with 1 cup water or stock. Bring to a boil and then lower the flame, cover and allow to cook for about 15 minutes.

2. While the quinoa is cooking, slice the leek and place in a wide, shallow saucepan with 1 1/2 cups water or stock. Place on a small flame while you prepare the sprouts. Wash, trim, and slice the Brussels sprouts into slivers. (Rest the trimmed stem on the cutting board and cut each one into slivers. This actually takes as much time as the cooking.)

3. Add the Brussels sprouts to the leeks and then add in the slivered almonds. (If you use thinly sliced almonds instead of the chunkier slivered ones, you can add them at the end.) Stir occasionally, adding the garlic at the end of 5 minutes. Adding the garlic at the end supposedly makes it more efficacious. Add salt and pepper to taste, if you wish, or any other flavoring, such as curry powder or Italian herbs.

4. When the quinoa has absorbed all the liquid and the Brussels sprouts are tender-crunchy, combine the two in whatever pot is largest. This makes enough for 4-6 people as a main dish. (See note below about quinoa being a complete protein.+)

* I used a combination of regular yellow quinoa and organic, tri-colored quinoa.

+Mar 28, 2011 | By Michael Onwochei in www.livestrong.com

Quinoa is pseudo-grain with complete protein. The presence of complete proteins in a plant-based food source is unusual. Soybean is the only other plant source with complete protein. Complete protein is also called quality protein. A protein with all of the 8 essential amino acids is called complete protein. Proteins that do not have all of the 8 essential amino acids are called incomplete proteins.

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