Roasted Potatoes and Carrots with Rosemary

We're embarking on a family trip in a few days, and I am determined to use up as much stuff in the fridge as possible before leaving. Just got to get a little creative, that's all!

It's an opportunity to eat simply. Well, that's what I tell myself. More like, just necessary to eat really strange combinations. Here's one dish I made that turned out to be pretty darn tasty. And this is basically what I had to work with...

Brussels Sprouts with Cinnamon

I will never forget the first time I ate brussels sprouts. I absolutely loved the little green vegetables my Dutch host mom had made, but I had no idea what they were. When I asked, my host dad began translating "spruitjes" to English. After some confusion and much laughter, we landed on "brussels sprouts". I was so surprised that I was eating brussels sprouts- and enjoying them! 

Now, brussels sprouts are one of my favorite winter vegetables. To me, they are a comfort food and bring back so many memories of my Dutch family! Plus, they are exceptionally nutritious and are a perfect side dish for so many meals.

 I've tried to make them just the way my host mom always did: simply steamed and sprinkled with cinnamon! 

To make, steam the brussels sprouts over boiling water for 10 minutes, or until they are tender in the middle. Add a dash of cinnamon on top and serve. Although cinnamon and brussels sprouts seem to be an odd combination,  it is quite tasty. The cinnamon brings out the flavor of the sprouts and gives them a little sweetness. 

Eet smakelijk!

Beet Chips

No, that’s not bacon in my salad, but it’s way better, trust me.

This summer, I became semi-obsessed with beets. There is so much to do with them! My obsession lead to a lot of experimenting and my favorite discovery was beet chips. Somehow potatoes chips are now just less exciting and flavorful.

Allow me to change your life.   

To start making the chips, scrub and peel the beets, then chop off the ends. I absolutely love the bright red color! Warning: it will get all over your hands and stains fabric like nobody’s business.

Continue peeling the beets with a serrated peeler. Try to make the chips as similarly sized as possible so that they will bake evenly.

Coat the chips in olive oil and season with black pepper and sea salt. Transfer to a baking sheet and space out the chips so that they don’t stick together. Bake at 400 degrees F for roughly twenty minutes, flipping the chips after ten minutes. Baking time will vary depending on the size of the chips, so watch them closely! They are done when they bubble up and have turned orange- in short, when they look like bacon!

These guys can be enjoyed in a salad or you can just munch on them plain. 

'Cause they're THAT good. 

scb