Photo credit: Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Is it possible to enjoy the holidays and eat healthy simultaneously?
Every year it gets a little easier. Even my guests are appreciating lighter, cleaner holiday foods – as long as they are delicious. Over the next 6 weeks, I am so excited to share with you my favorite healthy and tasty holiday recipes.
I scoured my recipes and combed through the blogs to find something new and exciting and I found the tastiest holiday hors d’oeuvre that really puts a spin on a classic party appetizer – the slider. That’s right, I’m making the slider healthy and nutritious! We’re using adorable brussels sprouts as the “bun” and tempeh as the savory filling. You can customize your slider with probiotic rich sauerkraut, a slather of caramelized onion puree, or spice it up with mustard.
These brussels sprouts bites are nutritionist-approved and fit all the makings of good party food; they’re super yummy, easy to eat, and impress the guest. I suggest that you go ahead and have the recipe handy, because people are going to ask for it 😉
Brussels Sprouts Sliders (adapted from New York Times Eating Well Section)
Ingredients:
6 T organic coconut oil, divided
2 large sweet onions, sliced thin
20 large brussels sprouts
1 T organic tamari (or organic soy sauce)
2 to 3 cloves garlic, pressed
a dash of liquid smoke (if desired or you can add a dash of smoked paprika)
½ tsp. ground cumin
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
8 oz. organic tempeh, cut into thin slices
5 tsp. grainy mustard (optional)
Sauerkraut (optional, could use in place of onions)
Directions:
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons coconut oil, heat for a minute, then add the onions and a sprinkling of salt. Stir frequently, making sure to stir from the bottom of the pan up, to dislodge any sticking onions. They will begin to yellow and shrink in volume, as they darken from yellow to more of a caramel color, lower the heat. Keep cooking until they are at the desired state. This usually takes about 25-30 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut the brussels sprouts in half from top to bottom, keeping the two halves close together. If you don’t , you will have to search for a pair that fits well together after they have roasted. Mix together two tablespoons coconut oil, tamari, pressed garlic, cumin, cayenne and liquid smoke in a bowl to make the marinade. Taking one complete brussels sprouts pair at a time, dip both halves in the marinade. Remove and let sit cut side down on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes, then turn the sprouts and bake 7 more minutes.
Prepare a second parchment lined baking sheet. Pour the marinade into a baking pan and let the tempeh sit in it for 20 minutes, then turn all the pieces and let them marinade another 10 minutes. Remove the tempeh and set them up without touching on the baking sheet. If there is any reserved marinade, brush over the remaining pieces. Bake at 375 for 12 minutes, gently turn, and bake for five minutes more. Cool onions, brussels sprouts and tempeh for assembly.
Take one half of a brussels sprout, smear with mustard, add a piece of tempeh cut to fit the size of the sprout, add some onions or sauerkraut (you could use a demitasse spoon or small melon baller for this). Take the other half of the brussels sprout and position it so the two spouts are like the buns on a burger, with the cut sides facing each other, and secure with a toothpick.
Warm on a baking pan in a 325-degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes, and serve warmed.
