Eat your Brussels sprouts! Really…because they’re awesome. Little mini cabbages just waiting to be popped into your mouth. So delicious! I paired these with some pork ribs that had a Chinese five-spice rub on them and the two went together perfectly.

Sometimes just a few touches at the end of cooking can transform the flavor and feel of your dish and turn what might be an ordinary vegetable dish into exactly the right vegetable for what you’re eating. In this case, the tiny additions were toasted sesame oil and scallions. The sesame oil immediately provides an Asian flair and you don’t need much at all. The toasted variety is warm and inviting and incredibly flavorful. It also provides a silkiness to the dish, enticing you to take just one more bite. The scallions, or spring onions, pop in your mouth and give a wonderful freshness to the dish.

I would have topped the whole thing with some toasted sesame seeds, but my husband doesn’t like them, and I really like him, so I left them off. But you don’t have to! This would be delicious with some chicken or shrimp on the side – no need to get fancy. Let the Brussies steal the show!

Sesame Roasted Brussels Sprouts

1 lb. Brussels sprouts

1 Tbsp. coconut oil

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. toasted sesame oil

1 scallion, sliced

pepper to taste

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Trim the Brussels sprouts and cut into halves or quarters, depending on their size. Mix with the melted coconut oil and toss with salt.

2) Place the sprouts in a large glass baking dish and roast for 20 – 25 minutes, stirring regularly so they brown richly but don’t burn.

3) Remove when they are tender but not mushy and nicely caramelized. Add the sesame oil, scallions, and any additional salt or pepper to taste.

Serves 2-3