Turkey isn’t the only Christmas dinner staple that should be part of your weekly food shop. Brussels sprouts offer potent anti-inflammatory properties to soothe your aching muscles after a tough gym session, and they’re also a source of bone-strengthening vitamin K and immunity-boosting vitamin C. But they rarely get eaten on the other 364 days of the year because many people detest this much-maligned vegetable – until now, that is, because these recipes will make you look at sprouts in a new light. Time to binge like the Belgians.
More muscle-building, fat-reducing nutrition ideas.
You'll love them like this
Crackling sprouts - Ingredients (serves 4)
400g Brussels sprouts / 60g pork crackling / 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped / 1tbsp vegetable oil / Salt and pepper, to taste
To make
Remove the outer leaves of the sprouts, chop them in half and boil in salted water for ten to 12 minutes until soft. Strain and put aside. Heat a wok or large frying pan, then add the vegetable oil and garlic. Add the cooked sprouts to the pan with the salt and pepper and stir. Crumble the pork crackling over the dish and serve.
Chicken and sprout omelette - Ingredients (serves 1)
90g Brussels sprouts, cut into chunks / 60g cooked chicken breast, cut into strips / Handful of mushrooms, thinly sliced / 3 eggs / 1tsp of butter
To make
Crack the eggs into a bowl and beat or whisk thoroughly. Mix in the mushrooms, sprouts and chicken. Heat the butter in a small pan over a low heat. Pour the mixture into the pan and fry until cooked, flipping halfway through.
Turkey and sprout bubble and squeak cake - Ingredients (serves 4)
200g Brussels sprouts, trimmed / 1kg potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks / 60g butter / 1 small onion, peeled and diced / 300g cooked turkey breast, chopped / 50g plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper / 1tbsp rapeseed oil / Sea salt, black pepper and a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
To make
Boil the potatoes for 15 minutes, drain, add half the butter and mash well. Cook the sprouts for five minutes until tender, drain and shred. Heat the remaining butter in a frying pan and fry the onion until soft, then cool a little. Mix the sprouts, turkey, potato and onion, season and leave to cool, then shape into eight cakes. Coat them in flour, then fry them in the oil for four minutes each side. Drain on kitchen paper. Serve with rocket, poached eggs and red pepper sauce.
