Brussels Sprouts - with a twist!

Vegetables seduce me. And resistance is futile. Sometimes I want the simplicity of a simple steamed or raw vegetable. But I also love to try vegetables prepared with exotic spices or unexpected ingredients.

Last week I happened to stumble upon a cooking TV show I'd never seen before. A man and woman host it, but for the life of me I can't recall the name. They were preparing brussels sprouts three different ways.

Brussels sprouts! I love them! I love all the vegetables in the cabbage family. And my favorite way of preparing these tiny little cabbages has been to roast them in the oven. The leaves become papery and crispy on the outside, while the insides become tender and almost sweet.

The recipe given on the television show surprised me. After tossing the brussels sprouts lightly in olive oil and crushed garlic, sprinkling with salt and pepper, the sprouts were roasted until nicely browned. Before serving, they were tossed with a dressing consisting of a couple of teaspoonfuls of balsamic vinegar, a teaspoon of olive oil, and about a tablespoon of grated orange zest. It sounded odd to me, but I decided to try it. I went very light with the olive oil, and used canola spray for the roasting, but this was a DELICIOUS way to prepare brussels sprouts!

The orange gave the most wonderful sweetness and tang, complimenting the taste of the sprouts perfectly. The vinegar added a lot of flavor without tartness.

Most definitely, I will be making this again! Yummy!