Sesame Peanut Brussels Sprouts! If you or your family need convincing that Brussels sprouts can be delicious, this recipe is the ticket to a clean plate! Savory peanut butter sauce with a dash of sweetness and a hint of spice glaze these sprouts for a side dish that will grace your table again and again.
Confession: I’m in a bit of a summer funk.
Food bloggers often prepare for the “summer slump” — it’s a thing, people, Ali even dedicated a post to it — but when it hits… man, oh, man. It stings worse than your 4th of July sunburn.
This is the gist of it: During the summer, while all of you lovely readers are away from your computers and putting down your phones to take in some much needed sunshine and fresh air {go! live life!}, we bloggers start feeling a little lonely in terms of site visits {which, for many who count on ad revenue for a good chunk of their income, is synonymous with cash}. It can start to feel a little bit like when you stay for a summer session in college and get that “ghost town” kind of vibe until everyone comes back in the fall. Samesies.
To top it all off, things in the blogging world are very different these days than they were back when I started. ::: adjusts dentures ::: Times, they are a-changin’, and everyone wants video, video, video, which is something I’ve been resisting because I LOVE TO WRITE.
Newsflash: Writing = Not the same as making videos.
So, with all this time on my hands during these quiet summer months {not for lack of projects, but because I haven’t been posting on the regular}, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about the direction of things and how I want this all to play out. I’m not sure what’s going to happen, but I do know that if you don’t move with the times, you’re sure to get run over by them. Not that it makes any of this easier to deal with.
Anyway, a funk is not an option because onward and upward, right? But, as they say, “An idle mind is the devil’s playground.” so I’ve been trying to keep my mind busy with ideas of how to refresh, revitalize and recharge myself and the blog during these slow months in a way that isn’t a waste of my time {since, you know, there aren’t that many people reading the new stuff!}.
In a flash of inspiration, it came to me: Throwback Thursday.
No, I’m not talking the #TBT when you show off old pics of yourself when you were younger, thinner, and less wrinkled. I’m talking about FINALLY getting around to updating old posts and pics of good recipes with horrendous pictures. {Ironically, people now pay me to take pictures of things. Crazy!}
This serves a threefold purpose: 1. Beautifying and updating the blog. 2. Bringing back old recipes that some of you who have not been around that long may not know existed, and 3. Keeping myself from hitting “delete blog” in a dramatic fit of despair. What do you think?
I personally love the idea, and therefore, I’m going with it. So, let’s take a little stroll into the past, shall we?
These Sesame Peanut Brussels Sprouts originally showed up on the blog back in May of 2011 {!} at a time when I was trying to become fond of them. Fast forward to 2017 — I still don’t love them, but I’ve learned a few things about making them more appetizing. First, they must be cut quite thin or shredded in order for me to stomach the texture. Next, I prefer them nearly burnt to a crisp to avoid any sogginess. And finally, coat them in delicious sauce so that I can barely taste them, and I’m game. {No offense to you sprout lovers out there!}
The spicy peanut butter sauce on these sprouts coats them with a sweet and savory glaze that seriously makes them hard to resist. Topped off with some crunchy sesame seeds, this dish is bursting with texture and flavor!
Whether you love Brussels Sprouts or simply tolerate them, this recipe should help bring them into the side dish rotation!
Sesame Peanut Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts trimmed of outer leaves, stemmed & thinly sliced
- 1 medium clove garlic minced or grated
- 3 heaping tablespoons creamy peanut butter {or whatever nut butter you prefer}
- 2 tablespoons water
- 3 teaspoons low sodium tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Juice from half a lime
- 1 dash cayenne pepper {start with 1/8 teaspoon or less & work your way up}
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet or wok over high heat. Add sliced Brussels sprouts, give them a quick toss the in the oil, and then let them sit for a good minute to 2 minutes untouched so that they start to char in spots.
- Stir and repeat until they're browned to your liking.
- Reduce the heat slighlty. Add minced garlic and cook, stirring, for about a minute. {Careful not to scorch the garlic or it will become bitter.}
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together peanut butter, water, tamari {or soy sauce}, honey, lime juice and cayenne pepper until smooth.
- Pour the sauce over the Brussels sprouts and toss to coat evenly. Cook for another minute or so.
- Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired.
