So you think you don't like Brussels sprouts, huh?

Oh, the poor misunderstood and abandoned Brussels sprout. 

The very idea of these little green nutrient powerhouses is enough to make some people turn their nose up--waaaaay up--while lamenting about how disgusting they find them: 

• My mom used to make me eat those nasty things!
• They're gross!
• They're slimy!
• They stink!
• They make my stomach hurt!

Yeah, yeah. I've heard about all the excuses that people give to shun these beautiful green miniature cabbages. I'll tell ya now it's probably because all the times they've tried them, they were nasty, slimy, gross, and stinky! 

I'm gonna tell you how to do them with consideration of preserving the inherent goodness that makes them so darn good for ya. One 3.5 ounce serving provides more than RDA of Vitamin C, a decent amount of Vitamin A, 3.8g fiber, and a compound called sinigrin, which helps protect against colon cancer. You get all this and more for a mere 179 calories and about 9g carbs. 

What's not to love about that?!

Since boiling Brussels sprouts takes away much of the good stuff (and makes them gross, slimy, and stinky), we're going to do something else. We're going to roast them. 

What you'll need to turn yourself and your guests into believers:

-About four side dish servings-

• 1.5-2 lbs fresh Brussels sprouts
• About 1/4 cup olive oil (I couldn't care less if it's EVOO. My name ain't Rachael Ray, so use whatever version of OO you have.)
• 2-3 minced cloves garlic
• 1 tsp salt
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Whatever herb you'd like to toss in...or not. It's your dish. Experiment a little! I used chopped fresh rosemary because I happened to have it on hand, and a generous sprinkle of Herbes de Provence. 

The method to the sprout madness:

1. Preheat oven to 400 °
2. Clean the sprouts. If you were lucky enough to find them on the stalk, cut those bad boys off. Pick off any yellow or damaged outer leaves. 
3. Cut each sprout into quarters, lengthwise. 
4. Toss sprouts in a bowl with remaining ingredients. Stir to coat the pieces with the olive oil and seasonings. 
5. Lightly spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray. 
6. Layer the quarters on the sheet in a single layer. 
7. Bake for about 8-9 minutes.
8. Remove from oven, stir a bit (you should see some brown outer layers where the heat is working its magic on the natural sugars. Mmmm!)
9. Bake for another 8-9 minutes. 

Watch them carefully to be sure they're not burning. Depending on your oven calibration, they might need to be stirred more often to avoid scorching. That's it. You are now ready to enjoy the sweet, tender pieces alongside your entree, or as part of a delicious veggie plate. 

If you're the type who likes a little meat seasoning with your veggies, I've seen many recipes that incorporate crumbled up bacon pieces that are stirred in before serving. I enjoy them just like this. 

Now go out there and grab some Brussels sprouts, make some believers, and save a few colons!