Fall Favorites with the CMOW Dietitian

Autumn is just around the corner! With the changing seasons you may think that there are fewer fresh fruits and vegetables to be had. In Alberta, the situation is quite the contrary. In fact - many fruits and vegetables are available in fall ranging from strawberries, apples, mushrooms, peppers, kale, to everyone’s favourite “least favorite”, brussels sprouts.

So many people remember being made to eat brussels sprouts that were too soft or didn’t quite taste right. These vegetables, particularly if boiled, tend to have a bitter flavour. This has contributed to the bad reputation of brussels sprouts, which is unfortunate because when cooked properly they are an excellent side dish. Like many vegetables brussels sprouts are a great source of fibre, but they are also a good source of vitamin C, vitamin K, folate and beta-carotene. For an even more nutritious meal, adding just one serving of mushrooms to this dish would add 30 mg of vitamin C, almost half your daily requirements, and 5 g of fibre.

I want to help you rediscover this delicious, seasonal vegetable with the recipe that made them one of my favourites. We are going to roast them, not boil them. Roasting brussels sprouts in an oven make them tender but not mushy and bring out a sweet flavour that you may not have noticed the first time you ate them. Tossing them with a simple mixture of oil and herbs will further deepen the flavour. When I cook them like this, I can’t stop myself from snacking on a few after they have been baked and hopefully you will too!

Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Mushrooms

Ingredients (4 servings):

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon rosemary, chopped

1 teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)

1 ½ cups of white mushrooms, halved

1 ½ cups Brussel sprouts, halved

(optional) 2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

1)      In a small bowl, mix vegetable oil with chopped rosemary and black pepper.

2)      Place halved brussels sprouts and halved mushrooms on baking sheet. Toss brussels sprouts and mushrooms with mixture of oil and herbs.  

3)      Heat oven to 450 F and roast vegetables until brussels sprouts have a golden-brown colour and are soft when pierced with a knife. This may take 20 minutes or more.

4)      If you like, you may drizzle the vegetables with balsamic vinegar.

Try this dish as it is a great way to eat more seasonal vegetables in the fall. This recipe makes 4 servings, so you can eat it with supper now or save some for later!

Ayanna Smart has been a Registered Dietitian for 3 years and is a member of the College of Dietitians of Alberta. Ayanna uses her expertise to help ensure the meals produced at Calgary Meals on Wheels are nutritious and healthy for our clients.

This information is provided by our Registered Dietitian and is not meant to replace advice from your medical doctor or health professional regarding your individual needs. It is intended for educational and informational purposes only.