#EatWellLiveWell: Vinaigrette Brussels Sprouts and Parsnips

Do you frequently add Brussels sprouts to your weekly meals? If not, you should! While Brussels sprouts are not among the most loved vegetables, they are worth incorporating into your family’s diet. With a variety of appetizing recipes available, incorporating this vegetable into your cooking routine will be a breeze. Additionally, not only are they easy to cook, but they pack a healthful punch for your diet. Health benefits include:

• Excellent source of Vitamin A, C, and K. Everyone has heard they need to get their vitamins, but not everyone is aware of just how vital vitamins are to our health. With Brussels sprouts on your menu, you get vitamin A, which plays a vital role in immune system health, vitamin K, which aids our blood’s clotting ability, and vitamin C, with it’s seemingly endless list of benefits for: skin, wounds, stress, cholesterol, blood flow, reduction in risk of stroke and heart disease, and the list goes on.
• High in cancer-fighting nutrients. Four glucosinolates: glucoraphanin, glucobrassicin, sinigrin and gluconasturtiin work hard to stave off cancers of many kinds and provide a unique combination only found in Brussels sprouts!
• Cholesterol lowering components. Brussels sprouts bind with bile acids in your digestive tract, especially when they’ve been steamed, and result in a lowered cholesterol level!
• A healthful dose of fiber to boost your overall health. Once known as “roughage,” fiber is an integral part of the human body's processes. From prolonging retention of food to easing digestion, fiber is an essential part of our diet.

Whether you are incorporating Brussels sprout into the main dish or adding it as a wonderful side, these ‘baby cabbages’ will be sure to send everyone’s taste buds into an uproar.

Recipe: Vinaigrette Brussels Sprouts and Parsnips

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of Brussels sprouts, halved
• 1 pound of parsnips, peeled
• 1 large red onion, thickly sliced
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing 

Preparation Time:

• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 40 minutes
• Ready in: 55 minutes

Directions

1. Begin by preheating the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a smaller bowl, mix brown sugar, thyme, and salad dressing. 
3. In a 13x9 inch baking dish, mix Brussels sprouts, red onion, and parsnips together. Once mixed, pour dressing over the vegetables and then toss to coat everything. 
4. Place in preheated oven and bake for about 40 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. 

Nutritional Information:

222 kcals, 6.7 g fat, 39.6 carbs, 5.6 g protein, 0 mg cholesterol, 276 mg sodium.

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