Festive Cranberry Pecan Brussel Sprouts

I had some brussel sprouts in the fridge and, after making cranberry sauce and snacking on pecans, I was inspired to put them together in this delicious combination!

Ingredients:

1 lb brussel sprouts
2-3 tbs olive oil
handful chopped pecans
handful fresh cranberries
salt, to taste
cracked pepper, to taste
cranberry sauce, optional (recipe on this blog)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Wash brussel sprouts and be sure to drain all water off.  Cut them in quarters and place them in a large caserole baking dish.  Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Add pecans and cranberries.  Mix to coat with oil.

Bake for approximately 20-30 minutes or until the brussel sprouts can be poked thru with a fork but not too soft. 

Eat by itself or serve with quinoa.

Try adding some cranberry sauce on top!

A link to this recipe may also be found here, along with other wonderfully delicious and nutritious recipes: Wellness Weekend December 20-24. 

Cranberry, Pumpkin, and Mung Energy Custard Bars

After making protein bars with protein powder in them I wanted to figure out a different sort of "protein bar" that doesn't have the same highly refined protein powder in them.  So, I came up with the idea to sprout mung beans and use them in baking.  They are so very easy (and inexpensive) to sprout at home.

You can use canned pumpkin or you can roast it yourself.  I have some saved in the freezer in containers like this to take out when needed:

The combination of subtle pumpkin spice, cranberry and crunchy walnuts makes for a delicious snack food (or, a healthy dessert!).  I just love how the cranberries pop open during baking to spread their flavor.  If you blend the mung sprouts very smooth you cannot tell they are in the batter.  Though these are not vegan, perhaps you might be able to use egg replacer.  Let me know if you try it!


Ingredients:

4 eggs
1/2 cup pureed pumpkin
3 1/2 cups sprouted mung beans
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tbs oil (sesame, olive, coconut, or almond)
3/4 cup almond milk
1 tbs vanilla extract
1 tbs cinnamon
1/2 tbs nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2-1 tbs chopped fresh ginger (or less dry)
stevia powder, to taste preference
1/2-1 cup fresh cranberries
1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped


Directions:

Blend all the ingredients, except the cranberries and walnuts, in a food processor or blender.

Pour batter in a greased 9x9 baking pan and sprinkle the walnuts and cranberries evenly across the top.  Press walnuts and cranberries lightly into batter using a spatula.

Place in an oven preheated to 350 degrees and bake approximately 40 minutes.  You can test to see if it's done by carefully sticking a knife into the middle; if it comes out clean it's done.

Allow to cool and cut into bars.  These are delicious still warm or cool from the fridge.  You can store in the fridge for several days or place in a freezer-safe container and keep there to take out a bar when you need an energy boost during the day.

Cranberry Sauce (sweet and sugar-free!)

I've always really enjoyed the canned jellied cranberry sauce at the holidays but it's just so full of sugar.  It was very exciting to discover a recipe that uses such minimal ingredients and has NO sugar:

Ingredients:

12 oz. bag fresh cranberries
1 cup water
stevia, to taste
pinch of salt


Directions:

Wash cranberries and throw away any ones that have gone bad.

Place washed cranberries in a medium sauce pan with the water and bring to a boil.  Continue to simmer for approximately 5-10 minutes or until cranberries begin to pop.

Stir mixture until the consistency becomes more saucy.

Allow to cool.  Store in a glass container in  your fridge and/or use it as a delicious topping or healthy jam-substitute.  I love to use it along with roasted sunflower seed butter on puffed corn or rice cakes as a peanut butter and jelly replacement.  Yum!