Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Couscous

Happy 2014!!! The New Year is always a fun time, filled with reflection and hope for what's to come. However, this New Years feel a little bit different to me.

14 years ago, the number 14 became my lucky number (my online name is LittleMonsterx14 for a reason!). When I turned 14, my mom told me that it would be my lucky year. We now entered the year 2014, and I can just feel that its going to be something special. I don't know why, or what will happen, but the year '14 is going to be a special one. I am so excited to see what the year brings, and to fully enjoy all the things the number 14 will bring me!

I have always been intimidated by Brussels sprouts. They smell funny, look funny, and everyone always says how they taste bad.  Why would anyone want to eat a food like that? Well, over the summer my dad ordered some Brussels sprouts at a restarunt, I tried a bite and they were delisious!  I decided it was time to investigate them a little more.  Over Thanksgving, I tried a roasted sprout, and I liked it. The final test was to try cooking them myself.  Last week they went on sale, and I knew it was the veggie gods telling me it was time.



What you need:



1 large bag of Brussels sprouts
1 box of plain couscous
olive oil
onion powder
celery salt
parsley
garlic powder
salt and pepper
lemon juice

What to do:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
While oven is heating, cut the sprouts in half.
Put the Brussels sprouts in a large bowl and mix in salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste.
Mix in enough olive oil to evenly coat everything.



Spread the Brussels sprouts evenly on a baking sheet, and bake for 35 minutes, flipping every 5-10 minutes.
Once the sprouts are nearly done, cook the couscous according to the directions on the box. The box only says to add olive oil and salt, but I decided to add a few other spices to give it some extra flavor.
Serve everything together!











After trying Brussels sprouts for the third time I have officially jumped on the sprout train! They were crispy on the outside and crunchy on the inside.  They had a bit of tang from the lemon, some spice from the pepper, and the perfect amount of saltiness. The Brussels sprouts themselves had a really nice fresh veggie taste with that roasted flavor. The couscous was super fluffy with a nice array of different spices. This meal was surprisingly comforting, and super delicious. Hooray for Brussels sprouts!

Do you love Brussles sprouts as much as I do? Will you be trying them out this new year?

Bye from the Veggie Side.