Before I talk about the recipe, let me go on a tangent.
I always think very long and hard about what should go into a post. And I save it and come back to it several times usually. SOMETIMES I am able to just hammer it out. But it’s kind of like writing essays for school. Unless I am currently having a “stroke of genius”, I don’t automatically create things that I think are perfect.
Hell, even when I do spend a lot of time on something, it’s a rare occasion for me to think it’s perfect and beyond the need of further improvements.
But when I am working diligently on something, I often forget that I need to eat, and lose track of time, and get so laser-focused that I don’t even hear the outside world. (And that’s very different from my normal “attention span the size of a flea”, I assure you.) This happened to me yesterday when I was working on an advertising banner for my game.
So when I come off of these work binges, I am really hungry for something that is either fatty or flavorful (usually both). And an awesome choice for this is roasted vegetables because I can binge-eat them and they’re still good for you.
See how that was circular? It always comes back to the food with me!
I made these morsels the other day. They’re very similar to the roasted brussels sprouts that I usually make, but the idea just came to me to add balsamic vinegar.
It ended up being so tasty! They tasted salty and roasted and garlicky like usual, but they also had a sweetness to them which was amazing. And I ate the whole tray, by myself. So there.
And I did eat them out of a tiny bowl thinking, “Then I’ll be forced to save some!” No way!
So if you want to give them a try, here is the printable recipe card!
- 1 bag frozen or fresh Brussels sprouts, cleaned/defrosted and cut in half
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- ½ cup olive oil
- Salt, pepper, and roasted red pepper flakes, to taste
- Preheat your oven to 375.
- Take your Brussels sprouts and spread them out on a baking sheet. Cover them in the olive oil, and then liberally sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Also add red pepper flakes (but they are HOT, so be careful if you don't like spice! I just add one little shake to mine).
- Roll them around with a spoon to coat them all. Then stick them in the oven for 20 minutes or until they are very tender but not quite getting "roasted" yet.
- While those are in the oven, make a balsamic reduction. Add your ¼th cup to a small sauce pan and heat it over medium-low heat, It will start to bubble and simmer, and just let it, stirring occasionally.
- You should take it off of the heat when it starts to thicken just a little bit. If you tip the pan and the bottom if ever so slightly coated in brown balsamic, it is time to stop.
- Take it off of the heat and as soon as the Brussels sprouts are done, take them out of the oven and pour all of the balsamic reduction over them. Then pop them back in for another 10 minutes or until very slightly crispy around the edges.