I Hate You, Brussels Sprouts
Image via Rasa Malaysia
I grew up eating frozen brussels sprouts. They were the bane of dinner during my childhood. I used to spit them into a napkin, claim I had to use the bathroom and disappear to flush them.
This was only part of the problem, as mom loved eating liver. And brussels sprouts. And okra. Who eats liver and brussels sprouts and liver in one sitting? "Disgusting," I thought as a kid, making another trip to the bathroom.
This year, as part of the Peak Condition Project, I branched out to eat new vegetables.
And, this year, I learned to love those green little buggers.
How?
First, I started eating the non-frozen version.
Then, I learned that the sprouts grow on a stalk. And that they look kind of pretty in stalk version.
Finally, I began to look at brussels sprouts a little differently. And then, I started thinking about eating them.
It started innocently enough. Bits of brussels sprouts, baked, on top of a bowl of noodles. Then, I began eating them wok-charred as appetizers. Before I knew it, I was a card carrying brussels sprouts believer.
Liver and okra? Forget it. Not going to happen.
[What new food did you discover this year?]
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Reader Comments (16)
I absolutely LOVE brussels sprouts. They're just so darn cute. I'm so glad you've embraced them - congrats.
And I'm with you on the liver. Not a fan. But fried okra - yum!
Being veggie, liver is out of the question for me, but I admit that as a kid I loved it (grew up a fully fledged carnivore with uncle who was a butcher).
I am glad you found a way to eat brussel sprouts. We love them here, but I agree about frozen. The only frozen veg I can stomach is peas. Everything else has to be fresh or not at all.
And for okra, it's just one of these things where you need to eat the right curry. If you are ever in Birmingham (UK), we have a wonderful vegetarian Curry house here and OMG their Okra curry is DIVINE!
I've come a long way since childhood, but brussel sprouts and beets will always make me gag. My wife thinks it's for the same reason I probably don't like dogs--I was probably attacked as an infant by a rogue brussel sprout, and it's deeply singed into my subconscious.
But I've come a long way. I now eat some vegetables that also made me gag in childhood--spinach, cauliflower, asparagus, cabbage.
Bob Weisenberg
http://YogaDemystified.com
In the UK we tend to boil sprouts to the death until they become soggy but still strong tasting mush. Urgh.
If they are done right they are amazing, mmm sprouts with chestnuts and pancetta.
Im taking over the sprout cooking this Christmas!
P.s i also love liver and okra, might have to try them together!
I'm a recent brussel sprout convert myself. It was this recipe (and delicious-looking photos!) from Heidi Swanson that got me hooked!
Brussels sprouts are probably my favorite food on the Earth. I cut them in half, toss them in olive oil and sea salt, and roast them at 400 until the outsides are slightly crispy. More delicious and addictive than popcorn.
This is awesome! I'm actually writing my New Food post about Brussels sprouts. And okra? Have you ever tried it battered and fried? The southern girl in me could eat those little guys like popcorn. Mmm....
Mel I'm veg w/a bit of fish myself. Wonder if it has anything to do with those early years of liver...
Doniree To tell the truth, chopped into small pieces, battered & fried is the only way I eat okra.
Brussel Sprouts, liver, okra... EWWW!! I'm 45 and I think I can say that aside from a few attempts at forced liver ingestion as a small child, these food items haven't passed my lips. Now that I live in the south I may have to try the fried okra as that sounds like a possibility.
I literally had brussels sprouts for the first time about a year ago, and I cooked them because of this AMAZINGLY freaking delicious caramelized tofu recipe:http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/caramelized-tofu-recipe.html
So, my first exposure to brussels sprouts was that they're completely delectable MMMMM I want this recipe now!!!
Much love!
...this is a trick question to weed out all the old people? Yes, I love brussels sprouts. And, by the way, you are cheating if you sprinkle bacon all over them.
I think Brussels Sprouts are one of those vegetables that most kids HATE and then come to love as adults. It was the same for me... I LOVE brussels sprouts now.
As a kid, I enjoyed fried chicken or turkey liver. But it had to be fried. My stepdad would cut live into bite-sized pieces, batter them, and fry them in a skillet. We were the only two people in the family that liked this.
Okra's much better fried, too. Someone served me boiled okra once--eeeeeewwwwww. Okra has slimy stuff inside, and frying seems to cut down on the goo.
Brussel sprouts...I've never, to my knowledge had them any way other than steamed or boiled. They're okay. Now roasted brussel sprouts...I'll have to try that.
One of the funniest episodes of Leave it to Beaver was when Beaver scooped his brussels sprouts into his napkin while pretending to eat them. June was so happy he had eaten them and excused Beaver from the table. Not knowing what to do with them he then dumped them into the wall heater. Can you imagine the smell??
Me - no fan at all.
I love brussel sprouts. Well, not so much the frozen ones from my childhood. But roasted brussel sprouts is a whole nother delicious story.
Then again, I think I was the only kid in our family who didn't mind when we were served liver and actually cooked it on her own very occasionally once she moved out. So maybe I am odd. (Hmmmm .. do all moms serve liver?)
Girl! You have to have some fried okra - that is delicious and will completely change your okra hating! Peak Conditioning food, it's not, but it is some good 'ole Texas comfort food :o)