What I Learned from Brussel Sprouts

They smell. Brussel sprouts smell. I was in the office at work the other day with several other trainers. I sit down to eat my lunch and I am thrilled because I LOVE brussel sprouts. I open the container and I watch all the trainers wrinkle their nose and then one says .... "did someone fart?" Everyone does the 13 year old reaction - wasn't me, wasn't me. Then it dawns on me - it's my brussel sprouts. I say to them - it's my brussel sprouts - they are delicious. So now I know my brussel sprouts smell like fart and it's become a funny joke every time I eat them at work.

Apparently my house also smells bad when I cook them. Jessie calls it "buttered butt" day. Sometimes I cook them in butter, hence the name. The other day I put a sign on the door "I apologize in advance, I cooked brussel sprouts today."

But the smell is not the only thing I learned from brussel sprouts. Let's think about how many children's books refer to "ewwwww brussel sprouts" and make them out to be the most disgusting food on Earth. Or how many kids remember having to sit at the table and "eat your vegetables" and the most horrible day was brussel sprout day. As far as I can remember I did not eat these delightful vegetables until I was in my 20's. I call them one of my adult foods. The foods I did not try until I was brave enough. Other foods on this list include: asparagus (still don't like it), avocado, strawberries (yes...strawberries), quoina, and a host of others.

As I thought about these amazing little vegetables I realized what they can really teach us. Have you ever tried something that you previously did not like and found out you loved it? This happens in so many places in our lives. Food, exercise, fun activities, relationships, cooking, and on and on. 

Try making a list today of all the things you have tried that you previously thought you did not like or were scared of.
Here's my short list:

• Brussel sprouts and other various foods
• Avocado gets it's own shout out because I could eat this every day and could not imagine life without avocado :)
• Jumping off tall buildings (Vegas)
• Being spontaneous. I love to be in control but being spontaneous is actually quite exciting!
• Coffee - how on Earth did I live without coffee?
• Kayaking
• Hiking 

Now the challenging part. Make a list of the things that still scare you and commit to doing one of them. These do not have to be big but imagine how you can feel if you do them.

• My biggest example of this is my latest endeavor into the sport of parkour and free running. I would never imagine myself learning how to jump over (vault) boxes, swing on bars, jump towards walls, flip my body over, etc. If you missed my blog about parkour, check it out here. I feel so good every time I try something that scares me and I complete it. http://laughingandlearningwithlindsey.blogspot.com/2013/03/dont-let-go.html

When you make your menu for the week, remember to try brussel sprouts. But if you still hate the smell or the taste, try a different vegetable or food. Here are my two favorite ways to cook these amazing little gems.

Roasted:

• Cut brussel sprouts in half
• Lay face down in a glass pan
• Cover in grapeseed oil
• Roast in 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes
• Take them out, add garlic and salt
• Roast for about 10 more minutes until they look like the picture above
• Delish

Stovetop:

• Cut in half
• Melt some butter in a pan (yes good butter, not gross margarine)
• Lay face down in the pan
• Add some olive oil on top
• Put a lid on them and let them steam (7-8 minutes)
• Take the lid off and let them cook until the moisture evaporates
• Eat!

Have an amazing week trying something you thought you hated.