Have I told you that I love vegetables?
Probably. There’s no way I could be vegan if I didn’t.
Have I told you that sometimes, while I’m chopping vegetables, I’m chopping with one hand and eating with the other?
Nate has to witness this all the time. (Sorry hun.) But he’s usually busy trying to eat the vegetables that I’m chopping, too. Competition for chopped vegetables – I’m pretty sure that’s how you lose a finger. And I’m VERY sure that my mom had a no-hands-on-the-cutting-board rule.
Luckily, this isn’t the story of a dinnertime emergency room trip. It’s the story of a pile of shredded vegetables that I made Nate eat for dinner.
How awesome is it that I have a boyfriend who will eat spaghetti squash and brussels sprouts for dinner and say it reminds him of his childhood? I’ll tell you: It’s really awesome.
Now despite the fact that the spaghetti squash dominates these pictures, it’s the brussels sprouts I’m here to tell you about. I recently learned that shredded brussels sprouts are even more delicious than whole ones. There are several restaurants in Salt Lake that serve them this way, and it’s worth going out just to get them! This recipe is from the Copper Onion, one of my favorite restaurants in Salt Lake (although not at all vegan-friendly… sad face).
These brussels sprouts are chopped up, quickly sauteed in a bit of oil, and tossed with minced garlic and lemon juice. As easy as that! They make a great easy side dish to pasta or any other hearty entree. Try them and let me know what you think!
- Extra virgin olive oil
- About 25 brussels sprouts
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Thinly slice brussels sprouts using a mandolin or a sharp knife.
- Add garlic and lemon to the serving dish.
- Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Add a bit of olive oil. Once hot, add brussels sprouts and salt and pepper to taste.
- Saute until brussels sprouts are bright green and slightly softened. (This takes me 2-3 minutes.)
- Pour brussels sprouts into the bowl with garlic and lemon. Toss to coat and serve warm.
- Enjoy!
Hello Erica,
This looks soooo yummy, thank you! My husband really likes brussel sprouts and spaghetti squash (so do I!) so it’s a win-win.
My question for you is: It surprised me to read that you are vegan but so many of your recipes call for dairy, eggs, fish and so on. What do you use to substitute for them? Like your pesto or your risotto? I was surprised to read your vegan statement. Thank you, Marcia
Hi Marcia, I gave the vegan thing up in December of last year. You’re right, a lot of my recipes these days call for eggs and cheese! I’m more pescatarian these days.