A New Year

2010 was a big year. The boy and I contemplated moving across the country (twice), he moved in, I changed jobs and graduated from Bauman College. Oh and then we got engaged. Whew.

I apologize for my lack of posts the past few months. Many nights I felt so guilty for not cooking and blogging as much as I once was. But now I’ve realized that I needed that time away.

I’m excited about the new year, especially since this fall I’ll be marrying my best friend. This year I want to try new recipes, read more, do more yoga and continue training for my first half marathon. Oh and I decided to give the blog a bit of an update, since I'll be spending more time here.

My first recipe of 2011 includes a vegetable many people detest, but one that I absolutely love. Brussels sprouts. These cruciferous vegetables are a great source of vitamin antioxidants, including vitamins C, E and A. They also contain essential vitamins and minerals that help fight inflammation and detox the body. Consuming brussels sprouts has also been linked to cancer prevention. Doesn't this make you want to give them another try?

Brussels Sprouts & Quinoa salad

1 tbsp sesame oil or 1 tbsp butter

2 shallots, minced

1 tsp sea salt

3 cups brussels sprouts, rinse and chopped into thin slices

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp ground cumin

3/4 c cooked quinoa

juice from half a lemon

1 tsp red pepper flakes

parsley and pecorino to garnish

Heat the sesame oil over low-to-medium heat. Add the shallots and a pinch of sea salt. Cook for a few minutes, stirring, so the shallots don't stick to the bottom of the pan. Add the brussels sprouts. The water from rinsing the sprouts should be enough to keep them from sticking to the pan. (If not, add a bit of water to help steam the brussels sprouts.) After about 5 minutes, stir in the minced garlic, pepper and cumin. When the sprouts are slightly wilted, remove from heat. Squeeze the lemon juice over the sprouts, sprinkle with red pepper flakes and mix in the quinoa. Feel free to add less or more quinoa. Garnish with parsley and shredded pecorino.