It’s a delicious way to enjoy Brussels sprouts through the fall and winter seasons—and we have more recipes at the end of this article.

Brussels sprouts buying tips:

 
For some extra flavor and protein, add some toasted pecan or walnut pieces/halves to the recipe below. Here’s how to toast nuts.

And a final note:

Few foods are more unpleasant than overcooked Brussels sprouts. The same is true with other cruciferous members: excessive heat releases an unpleasant-smelling and -tasting chemical compound.

Brussels sprouts have more of this compound. But cook them lightly, and they are bites of pleasure.

> January 31st is National Brussels Sprouts Day.

> November 23rd is National Eat A Cranberry Day.

> The history of Brussels sprouts.

> The history of cranberries.
 
 
RECIPE: CRANBERRY-ORANGE ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS

The total prep/cook time is 50 minutes.

If you like the cranberry-orange flavor profile, take a look at yesterday’s cranberry-orange white chocolate chip cookie recipe.

Ingredients For 6 Servings

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 400°F. Trim the brown bottoms of the Brussels sprouts (photo #2) and remove any discolored leaves. If they are large sprouts, cut them in half (leave small sprouts whole).

2. ZEST and juice the orange. In a large bowl, whisk together zest, juice, olive oil and honey. Add the Brussels sprouts to the bowl and toss until they are well coated.

3. ADD the sprouts to a large baking pan and season with salt and black pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Shake the pan from time to time to brown the sprouts evenly.

4. PLACE in a large bowl and add the dried cranberries. Stir, garnish with the toasted nuts and serve immediately.
 
 
BRUSSELS SPROUTS HISTORY

The Brussels sprouts plant is a beauty: A four-foot stalk crowned with large, wide graceful leaves resembling a cabbage (photo #4).

The sprouts, edible buds, grow up the entire stalk in a progression from smallest to largest.

So if we eat the buds, why are they called Brussels sprouts? Because rather than a conventional bud, which develops into a flower, Brussels sprouts just spring up on the stalk, and stay that way.

The Brussels sprout is a member of the cancer-fighting Cruciferous vegetables group, also called the Brassicas. If they look like tiny cabbages, its because they’re a member of the cabbage genus and species, Brassica oleracea.

[1] A yummy fall dish from Two Peas And Their Pod.

[2] Trim off any brown edges before washing (photo courtesy Cava).

[3] You can sometimes find the entire stalk at the store. You can remove the individual buds, or roast the stalk whole (photo courtesy ABCDs Of Cooking).

[4] What looks like a cabbage on top of the stalk is known as Brussels leaves. They are most certainly edible: sweet and tender like greens, with a mild flavor that doesn’t have a cabbage’s edginess (photo courtesy Heirloom Organic Vegetable Garden | YouTube.

They are distinguished taxonomically by their cultivar group. Brussels sprouts belong to the Gemmifera group of cabbages.

From Rome To Brussels To Louisiana

Cabbage species are native to the Mediterranean region, and early versions of Brussels sprouts were likely cultivated by the ancient Romans. The original wild plants resembled leafy kale, and were selected and crossbred to create the Brassica oleracea cultivars we know today.

Modern Brussels sprouts were cultivated in northern Europe during the 5th century. By the 13th century they were (and still are) cultivated near Brussels, which is how they got their name. They were also cultivated extensively in The Netherlands, Germany and Britain: They do well in colder climates.

French settlers brought Brussels sprouts to Louisiana in the 18th century. It took a while for them to head west to the Golden State, where most of America’s supply is grown today. The first plantings in California began in the 1920s. The Central Coast areas of San Mateo, Santa Cruz, and Monterey counties offer an ideal combination of coastal fog and cool temperatures year-round.

A smaller harvest is grown in Skagit Valley, Washington, and to a lesser extent on Long Island, New York.

Once harvested, the sprouts will keep well for three to five weeks in near-freezing storage (and about half as long in a home refrigerator), before wilting and discoloring. The minute you see that happening, steam them and turn them into a purée or soup.

Editor’s Note: We capitalize Brussels because it’s the name of a city. We do the same with French fries. After all, we wouldn’t like to see new york strip steak or california roll: They’re all proper names, named after places that don’t want to be lower-cased.

However, you’ll frequently see them spelled brussels sprouts, Brussel sprouts and brussel sprouts.
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*Other Brassica species include familiar crucifers such as arugula, bok choy, cauliflower, cress, horseradish/wasabi, mizuna, mustard greens/seeds, radish/daikon, rapini, rutabaga, tatsoi and turnip, among others.
 

[6] Brussels sprouts as part of winter veggie kabobs skewers. Here’s the recipe (photo Bittersweet Blog).

BRUSSELS SPROUTS NUTRITION

Brussels sprouts and other members of the cruciferous vegetables group are high in cancer-protecting phytochemicals.

Brussels sprouts themselves are exceptionally rich in protein, dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, including glucosinolate, an important cancer-fighting phytonutrient. All cruciferous vegetables contain glucosinolates, but brussels sprouts are especially potent in this regard.

They are also cholesterol-fighters. Steamed brussels sprouts actually have a have better cholesterol-lowering effect than raw brussels sprouts. The plant fibers do a better job of binding when they’ve been steamed.

Brussels sprouts are an excellent source of vitamin C: One cup provides more than the daily requirement.

Vitamin C, along with vitamins A and E, also found in Brussels sprouts, protect the body by trapping harmful free radicals.

Brussels sprouts are one of the best vegetable sources for vitamin K, which strengthens bones and helps to prevent, or at least, delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.
 
 
MORE BRUSSELS SPROUTS RECIPES

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

To viewers of Looney Toons cartoons, “Sufferin’ succotash!” was a phrase uttered often by Sylvester the Cat, when annoyed or surprised.

Why Sylvester suffering at the thought of eating succotash? Perhaps he didn’t like lima beans? We hereby ask Warner Brothers to weigh in.

Lima beans are a love-‘em-or-hate ‘em food. We have a solution for the haters—and for those who love the squishy beans: Replace the limas with al dente chickpeas.

Chickpeas (garbanzo beans) are not just for hummus. Substitute them for the lima beans and enjoy seasonal succotash.

The recipe is below, but first:
 
 
THE HISTORY OF SUCCOTASH

The word succotash comes from the Narragansett sohquttahhash, meaning broken corn kernels. The corn was mixed with lima beans or other shell beans, and was a staple food.

Succotash was introduced to the Pilgrims by the Native Americans. The word in the Narraganset language* is msíckquatash. The Narragansett, an Algonquian Native American tribe from present-day Rhode Island, also gave us the words quahog, moose, papoose, powwow and squash.

Ingredients From Mesoamerica

Lima beans originated in the Andes and Mesoamerica; the larger variety in the Andes around 2000 B.C.E., and the smaller variety in Mesoamerica around 800 C.E. By around 1300, cultivation had spread north of the Rio Grande, and in the 1500s, explores and conquistadors brought the beans back to Europe, where Old World cultivation began.

Corn was first cultivated in the area of Mexico around 5000 B.C.E., bred from wild grasses. The plant then spread throughout North and South America.

Combining a grain with a legume creates a dish that contains all essential amino acids, and both ingredients could be dried and stored. Thus succotash was important nutrition for Native Americans, for the Pilgrims and for other European emigrés to the New World. Succotash became a traditional dish for Thanksgiving celebrations in New England and elsewhere [source].

In some parts of the South, any mixture of vegetables prepared with lima beans and topped with lard or butter is called succotash. The two basic ingredients can be enhanced with bell peppers and tomatoes—both New World foods—and carrots (from the Old World).
 
Because of the relatively inexpensive ingredients, succotash was also a staple during the Great Depression: sometimes cooked in a casserole form, sometimes as a pot pie.

While most people think of succotash as corn kernels and lima beans, the original recipe used any shelled beans.
 
 
RECIPE: SUCCOTASH

This recipe is more complex and flavorful than garden-variety succotash which consists of only corn and limas.

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE the oil and butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet; heat. Add the garlic and onion; cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the bell peppers, zucchini, lima beans, and corn.

2. SEASON with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the herbs and serve.

[1] Chipotle and roasted garlic salmon atop grilled corn and lima bean succotash. Here’s the recipe (photo © McCormick).

[2] Have you ever seen fresh lima beans? Here they are, in the pod and shelled (photo © Burpee)./span>

[3] Lima beans are available in cans (mushy!) and frozen, but you can also buy and reconstitute dried lime beans for better flavor (photo © Eastern Feast | Amazon).

[4] You can substitute chickpeas or any other bean for lima beans (photo © Laura McConnell | Skillet Street Foods).

[2] Pineapple chunks and orange segments, topped with vanilla yogurt. Here’s the recipe from Mr. Breakfast (photo © Mr. Breakfast).

[3] Pineapple and cantaloupe chunks topped with cottage cheese. Here’s the recipe from Tried And Tasty | Super Healthy Kids (photo © Super Healthy Kids).

The photos show how to use fresh or canned fruit and white topping to mirror the three-color layers of candy corn.

We’ve created the lists of options below.

 
RED FRUITS

 
WHITE FRUITS

 
YELLOW FRUITS

*Guavas can have either pink or white flesh. As your grocer about the inside color.
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WHITE TOPPINGS

We adapted the concept as a chocolate-banana shake (peanut butter optional) with cow’s milk. You can:

Use a ripe, overripe or frozen banana. (With a frozen banana, omit the ice cubes. We stick overripe bananas in the freezer for baking or drinks.)
 
RECIPE: CHOCOLATE-BANANA MILKSHAKE

Ingredients Per Serving

 
Preparation

1. WRITE “R.I.P.” on the tombstone cookie with the marker or gel.

2. BLEND the frozen berries and water into a chunky purée. Set aside and rinse out the blender.

3. ADD the remaining ingredients to the blender and process to desired consistency. Pour the shake into a serving glass. Drip the “blood” berry purée on the surface, insert the tombstone and serve.

*We like Milano cookies because their surface is smooth, making them easy to write on. In the photo, the cookie was also brushed with diluted black food coloring to create a gray background color.
  

Chocolate Frosted Flakes joins the family, begun in 1953 with original Frosted Flakes. The line now inclues Kellogg’s Cinnamon Frosted Flakes, Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes Chocolate with Marshmallows, Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes Choco Zucaritas, and Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes with Marshmallows (all photos courtesy Kellogg’s).

“They’re grr-r-eat!” says Tony The Tiger, the cartoon character spokesman for Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes.

Now, there’s a new addition to the Frosted Flakes portfolio, one that some people may find even grr-r-eater: Kellogg’s Chocolate Frosted Flakes.

The product, which launches in November at participating retailers nationwide, coats the flakes with cocoa powder. The result: the same sweet, crunchy Frosted Flakes experience with chocolate.

Imagine what the cocoa does to the cereal milk!

Kellogg’s developed Chocolate Frosted Flakes by working with fans, testing how different types of cocoas interacted with both the cereal flakes and the milk left at the bottom of the bowl (“cereal milk”).

Keep your eye out for them; and pick up extra boxes for sharing.
 
 
THE HISTORY OF FROSTED FLAKES

Cereal flakes were invented by Dr. John Kellogg and his brother Will Kellogg in 1894, at their Battle Creek, Michigan, sanitarium. They sought to create new forms of foods that were more nutritious and more easily digestible.

They were experimenting with wheat, trying to make a more digestible substitute for bread, when they accidentally left a batch of cooked wheat in the kitchen as they attended to some pressing matters at the sanitarium.

When they returned the next day, they found that the wheat had gone become hard and solid.

Being on a strict budget, they decided to continue to process it by forcing it through rollers, hoping to obtain long sheets of the dough. To their surprise, what they found instead were flakes, which they toasted and served to their patients. A success!

After four more years of trial and effort, the Kelloggs successfully applied the process to corn.

However, they only sold their cornflakes by mail as a health food, to patients and former patients. Dr. Kellogg was a man of medicine, not interested in the greater commercial opportunities. general public.

However, one of his patients, C.W. Post, stole Kellogg’s recipes and turned them into consumer products.

 
Here’s more about the chicanery.

Will Kellogg, the business brother, finally expanded the cereal business in 1903. Kellogg’s Corn Flakes grabbed the majority share of the corn flakes market, and their product has remained the #1 corn flake ever since.

For 50 years, Kellogg’s Corn Flakes were the best-selling dry cereal in the U.S. Post Toasties, the Post version of corn flakes, were #2 (the Post product is now discontinued).

On To Frosted Flakes

In 1948, executives at Post Cereals (by then, part of General Foods, itself now part of Kraft Foods) noticed how well a sugar-coated cereal called Ranger Joe Popped Wheat Honnies was selling.

They began developing their own sugar-coated wheat puffs, but it raised a serious moral dilemma for Post.

At the time, all major cereal makers were focused on healthy food—the reason dry cereal was created in the first place. And even back then, it was known that sugar wasn’t great for children.

Proponents of pre-sweetened cereal maintained, among other arguments, that adding a controlled amount of sugar during manufacturing was preferable to kids spooning on too much sugar from the sugar bowl. That was the rationale of Popped Wheat Honnies, the first sugar-coated cereal.

In the end, they company was certain that that the sugar-coated cereal would be a big revenue generator; and the cereal was launched.

This time, Kellogg’s followed Post. Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes, sugar-coated corn flakes, was launched in 1952 as Sugar Frosted Flakes. The word “sugar” was dropped from the name in 1983, as Americans began to become more aware of the downside of all that added sugar.

Tony The Tiger was not a shoe-in.

The advertising team recommended four animals that could appeal to children: an elephant, a gnu, a kangaroo and a tiger. The tiger was included because it was a symbol of energy, according to an art director who worked on the project.

A TV commercial writer then named them all: Elmo the Elephant, Newt the Gnu, Katy the Kangaroo and Tony the Tiger. Jingle writers created a jingle for each animal. Tony’s four-line jingle ended with “They’re Grr-r-eat!”

Elmo and Newt were dropped from production, but Tony and Katy appeared on separate boxes on the store shelves. Tony’s packages flew off the shelves. Alas, Kay’s just sat there…and was quickly retired.

The company focused its energies exclusively on Tony, and the rest is history.

(Source)