Brussels Sprout Medley

I LOVE brussels sprouts but for some reason I rarely cook them. With winter in the air it seems like a perfect cold weather meal.

This is a hearty all in one dish that you can cook and eat as a meal in itself or add a simple piece of sole or other light fish to accompany it. This version is inspired by one of my favorite Portland restaurants -- Paley's Place and can be made vegetarian/vegan simply by leaving out the bacon and adding a little extra sea salt. I like to wing it when I cook so I've left some range in the ingredient amounts for you to adapt it to your tastebuds.

The shitake mushrooms are great for the immune system (stimulates macrophages, T-cells & natural killer cells) as we approach the winter months and are good for optimizing the liver's ability to process cholesterol. Shitake mushrooms also display natural antiviral & antitumor effects.

Brussel Sprouts, as with broccoli and cabbage, contain sulforaphane, a chemical believed to have potent anticancer properties as well as indole-3-carbinol which has a regulating effect on the female reproductive hormones. Brussel sprouts are also a good source of antioxidants and help support detoxification.

Ingredients:

-12-16 brussel sprouts (cleaned and cut into quarters)

- half of a leek chopped (chop from both ends so you get the white & the green but you won't need the whole thing)

- 4-6 shitake mushrooms thinly sliced

- 5 slices of cooked bacon- cut into small slices (thick slices have more flavor if it's an option)

- sea salt

-cooking sherry

- ghee or coconut oil

- small handful of parsley chopped (optional)

Cook and then slice the bacon while you turn your oven to broil and let it warm up. Line a baking sheet with foil and place brussel sprouts on it. Drizzle & mix with a little melted ghee or coconut oil and sea salt then spread them out on the tray and cook lightly (about 8-10mins).