The big thing here in southwest Michigan is igloos. It seems every brewery and restaurant is proudly sporting their outdoor igloos, laden with Christmas lights and the lure of great fun. We decided to meet a friend out at one of these little igloos yesterday for a beer. We hadn’t left the house much on Friday (remote learning is the devil), and went no where yesterday until the igloo. Or igloo attempt, anyway – they were all taken so we sat outside, all bundled up to enjoy a local brew.
It’s 3:19pm on Sunday and I haven’t left the house today, either. And, I probably won’t. I have, however, done laundry, wrapped gifts, completed the balance of Christmas shopping (thank you, Amazon), worked on a puzzle, placed a grocery order, made crock pot peanut clusters, and nearly finished a batch of buckeyes. I certainly could’ve been LESS productive, and I’m going to sneak in a workout and a few other to-do’s just as soon as I hit ‘publish’.
Other than the igloo beer yesterday, we watched the Illini lose against Northwestern in football and Missouri in basketball. A pretty rough day for Illini fans (totally sporting an Illini hoodie today that I snagged during some online Christmas shopping 😉 ). Today, Lovie Smith was fired as the head coach of Illini football. I’m honestly a bit shocked…the woes of Illini football date back to my days on campus and sadly, that has been many, many years.
This week, Shea and I are going to try to survive remote learning. Hopefully this will be the final week – girlfriend is NOT a fan. She misses her daily bus rides and time at the playground. Plus, she and I are basically the same person so we tend to butt heads at least a time or two each day. I will say, her nonexistent computer skills can now navigate a Chrome book and Google Classroom with ease. We’ve even got the “mute” button perfected. But first, winter break. Parents, I SO feel you.
At work, many of us have young kids and as dietitians, we have to laugh at how universally accepted both pasta and sausage are. Kids LOVE pasta and sausage….which may explain a lot about why we eat what we eat around here (not that I don’t agree!). But, the whole vegetable thing has gotten a little trickier. And to think, my kids used to LOVE brussels sprouts!
I persevere and we try new veggie recipes regularly, most of which aren’t so blog-worthy. That said, brussels sprouts that have that sweet-savory combo are a favorite. I love brussels with bacon, blue cheese, honey, balsamic…all the ways! One night, I decided I didn’t need to choose between honey and balsamic vinegar and went with both – DIVINE!
Honey Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts are a cold weather staple and the sweet-savory combo is simply perfection!
Ingredients
- 1 lb brussels sprouts, end cut off and halved
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the halved brussels sprouts on top. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss well and arrange in a single layer.
- Roast for 20 minutes.
- Remove from oven and drizzle with honey and balsamic; toss well and arrange in a single layer.
- Roast an additional 5 minutes before serving hot.
Notes
*use a high-quality balsamic vinegar that is thick and syrupy. Otherwise, reduce 2-3 tablespoons by simmering over low heat until reduced to 1 tablespoon
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 108Total Fat: 7.0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 303mgCarbohydrates: 11.0gFiber: 2.3gSugar: 6.5gProtein: 2.3g
Love Brussels sprouts? Check out these recipes!
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Brussels Sprouts, and Chicken Sausage
- Brussels Sprout and Walnut Pizza
- Sheet Pan Balsamic Pork Tenderloin with Fall Vegetables
- Dijon Maple Chicken with Brussels and Butternut
Weekly Menu: December 13th – 17th
- Sunday: leftovers
- Monday: One Pot Taco Spaghetti with guacamole and chips
- Tuesday: Instant Pot Honey Mustard Chicken with Carrots and Potatoes
- Wednesday: TBD
- Thursday: TBD
Be well,
