As I work to get my body back in 2014, I will be sharing healthy recipes, tips and my journey each Wednesday this year. You can see this week’s progress at the end of the post.
I’m just going to say it. Brussels sprouts are cool (much like bow ties and fezzes). Seriously. They are itty bitty heads of cabbage that grow on stalks. (Which makes them even cooler than kohlrabi.) Even better? They are full of antioxidants for cancer fighting and vitamins that help with DNA repair. Gotta keep those cells healthy.
If I can be honest, I don’t have a whole heck of a lot of time to cook during the week, so I try to make things I can pack up and bring to work for multiple days. This salad makes an excellent work lunch with some baked chicken or a sandwich.
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 bunch parsley, leaves picked and stems finely chopped (keep the stems separate from the leaves)
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
- 2 red onions, peeled and finely sliced
- 1/8 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted (optional)
- 1 1/4 pounds brussels sprouts
- Red wine vinegar
- Salt & pepper to taste
- In a large frying pan over medium-low heat, sautee the parsley stems, garlic and onion until soft and starting to carmelize, about 15 minutes. Do not rush it, flavor takes time and the gentle sweetness of the onion is key.
- Add the red pepper flakes, dried cranberries and pine nuts (if using) and cook for a couple more minutes.
- Shred your brussels sprouts in a food processor so they are about the same size as cole slaw. Increase the heat to medium high and add the sprouts to the pan with a couple tablespoons of water. Cover and let cook for 2 minutes.
- Remove the lid and increase the heat to high. You want to cook the sprouts until they are golden and a little crispy, just a couple minutes more. Remove from heat.
- Finely chop the parsley leaves and mix them into the sprouts. Season with red wine vinegar, salt and pepper to taste.
- -2.8 lbs this week, -7.8 lbs total
- New step goal: 8,000 steps a day.
- Fitness goal: 10 minutes of deliberate fitness each day
- 64 ounces of water each day
Alrighty. Forward progress. Some of my pants are feeling a bit looser, and I have managed to stay on track even when eating out. Where did I get stuck? Daily fitness and water. Can I blame the polar vortex? Because I am. It is totally legit.
As for the water, I got precisely half the amount I was shooting for. How do people drink that much water in a day? It is just plain crazy. But for me, even drinking 32 ounces of liquids a day is a major improvement.
This looks so good, thanks for sharing. And the water drinking gets easier, I promise. I drink at least a half gallon a day!