SO! I’m excited. Today is fun because it is almost Friday which means it’s almost the weekend which means it’s almost Sunday which means it’s almost the Game of Thrones season finale.
Which actually makes me not-so excited.
The emotions I feel for this show are unbelievable. I literally felt sick all weekend last weekend because I thought at least one of my favorite characters was going to die. *eye-roll emoji*
BUT a great way to forget about things that make you anxious (and yes, GoT makes me extremely anxious – especially at the end of the season) is to hang out with friends! And that’s exactly what I did when I went to the From the Orchard Apple-Themed Dinner with a bunch of Pittsburgh bloggers!
Apples are my favorite fruit and I always love meeting fellow bloggers, so naturally this was the event for me – especially because life is crazy and fall (aka. apple season) is already around the corner. I’m definitely a bit awkward when I meet new people, but the hosts (Ashley from My Heart Beets and Quelcy from With the Grains) made me feel so welcome!
It was such a fun night as we munched on #alltheapplethings including Instant Pot Apple Sauce (made by New Leaf Wellness), Apple Cupcakes (made by my girl at The Almond Eater), andddd these killer brussels sprouts.
I get it. Brussels sprouts so aren’t that exciting. They’re essentially little tiny cabbages, which makes them sound less exciting.
But like this? Yes, brussels sprouts are ridiculously exciting.
And it couldn’t be simpler!
First, you sauté. Add some shallots and brussels to a pan. Let them get all soft and caramelized and happy. Add some smoked paprika (aka. spice bae). Easy peasy.
Then, the sauce! Guys. You’ll be excited. I used the same sauce on this skillet as I did on…this Roasted Broccoli & Quinoa Salad!! You love this stuff almost as much as I do. And it has spurred one of my all-time favorite blog comments. But I’m convinced that it’s so good because the dressing is basically drinkable. SO that’s why it works so well here. It’s just a jazzed up honey mustard dressing, but so it has that wonderful savory & sweet thing going on.
And then! The mix-ins. I loved using chopped pecans for some crunch and then diced apple (gala or fuji please!) for some sweetness. The apple makes this dish. Yes, the brussels sprouts are awesome and yes, the dressing is delightful. But the apple adds a great texture and flavor, and I know you’ll love it.
This is one of my favorite dishes to transition us into fall. Apples, pecans, brussels, and honey mustard dressing. It doesn’t get much better than this!
Sweet & Savory Brussels Sprout Skillet
https://www.fooduzzi.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/sweet-savory-brussels-sprout-skillet-vegan-3.jpg
| Prep: | Cook: | Yield: serves 4-6 | Total: |
A super simple brussels sprout dish that's perfect as a side! Naturally vegan and gluten free, and takes about 30 minutes from start to finish!
You'll Need...
- For the dressing:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1-2 Tbsp. dijon mustard
- 2-3 Tbsp. honey (or maple syrup/agave for vegans)
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 clove garlic, minced or grated
- salt + pepper
- For the brussels sprouts:
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1 lb. brussels sprouts, sliced thin/shredded
- 1/2+ tsp. smoked paprika
- salt + pepper
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 large sweet apple (gala or fuji), diced small*
Directions
- Mix all of the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Taste, and adjust amounts as needed. I used about 1 and 1/2 Tbsp. dijon and 2 and 1/2 Tbsp. honey.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat with 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Add shallot, and sauté until the shallot is translucent, 2-3 minutes. Add shredded brussels sprouts and season with salt and pepper. Add the smoked paprika, and toss to coat. Sauté the brussels sprouts until tender (7-9 minutes), or until desired texture is reached. I like a bit of crunch left, but you can cook them until soft as well.
- Add pecans, and toss to combine to toast, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and add 1/2 of your dressing**. Mix well. Add additional dressing as needed.
- Allow the mixture to cool for a few minutes, then add your apple. Toss to combine and serve immediately. It's also good at room temperature!
Additional Notes
*I tossed my apple with just a bit of lemon juice to prevent browning.
**You probably won't use all of the dressing in this one recipe. You can either: double the recipe OR serve the remaining dressing on the side at the table. Yum yum.
And I gotta give some love to the apple dinner bloggers! Seriously, go check these awesome ladies out:
Ashley from My Heart Beets | Emily from Good Food Pittsburgh | Lindsey from Food Mood Girl | Isabel from Isabel Eats | Erin from The Almond Eater | Kelly from New Leaf Wellness | Quelcy from With the Grains
This recipe sounds delicious. I’m definitely going to make it because I love brussel sprouts!
Yay! I hope you do – let me know how it goes :)
So yummy! You’re making me so excited for Fall! I’m so elated to see so many in-season apples popping up in stores and farmers markets and they are sooo delish with Brussels!
I love Brussels Sprouts! These sound AMAZING! Thanks for sharing such a great way to incorporate apples as the season commences. :)
I LOVE throwing apples into brussels sprouts :) The flavors go so well together!
I do not have enough recipes for brussels sprouts so I’m definitely printing this one. I know you are vegan but one of my favorite recipes with brussels sprouts is called something like a grown-up grilled cheese sandwich. It includes shredded brussels sprouts fried and I can’t remember what all goes in it, but then, of course, the cheese and bread. I’m sure it could be veganized! Thanks for this great recipe. I can’t wait to make this!