Balsamic Brussels Sprouts

I love pretty much all veggies! But, my family is so picky about them. So, when I finally find something they like, I make it often. They absolutely love these Brussels Sprouts! I never in a million years would’ve thought I’d have to smack my husband’s hand away from a vegetable when I was in the middle of cooking it to keep him from stealing some. I have to guard these things!

I buy Brussels sprouts by the stalk. I like buying them this way because they keep longer. I don’t necessarily have to cook them within a few days of buying them. I have kept a stalk for about a week and a half and it was still fresh. I use one stalk for this recipe, which ends up being about 2 pounds. I just cut them off when I’m ready to use them and then I chop them up. We like them crispy, so I chop them pretty small. Probably about sixths or eighths. You can leave them bigger if you’d like. I try to chop the mushrooms and onions close to the same size as the Brussels Sprouts to keep everything uniform.

Once everything is chopped, I just throw it all on the baking pan to mix it up. I pour the olive oil and balsamic over the veggies and mix it up with my hands. Then, sprinkle some salt over the top. Put it in the preheated oven and bake for about 45 minutes. I stir every 15 minutes to make sure everything browns evenly. During the last 15 minutes check it a few times because it may get done sooner.

During the last 15 minutes, it’s time to start the glaze. This is a balsamic reduction, so you’ll want it to reduce by about half. To do this, add 1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar and 1/4 cup of honey to a small saucepan. Heat over medium for about 10-15 minutes. Be sure to stir this occasionally. You should be able to see the original line in the pan so that you’ll know when it has reduced enough. Remove it from the stove and let it cool. As it cools, it will thicken up and turn into a glaze. Then, spread it over the veggies and toss.

When I have cranberries, I also add them to this mixture. They add even more flavor. I can’t always find them though, so sometimes we go without. If you do want to add cranberries, you just add them at the beginning with the other veggies. You can use fresh or dried, but be sure to look at the ingredients in the dried if you follow AIP. They are really good.