I just Googled the name to make sure it is indeed "Brussels" as in the city and not "Brussel" sprouts. Conveniently, there is a www.brussels-sprouts.com, which informed me that "the modern Brussels sprout that we are familiar with was first cultivated in large quantities in Belgium." I like to know these things. Etymology aside, if you love Brussels sprouts like I do you will love them in this dish; if not feel free to leave them out, the butternut squash is the real heavy-lifter here.


I wasn't originally planning on putting this on the blog but it turned out so darn delicious I had to share it with you. I used instant brown rice which I think is truly one of the greatest inventions since sliced bread and just as convenient, making this doable for a weeknight dinner. In the background there is the dressing, a simple apple cider and Dijon vinaigrette which would be equally delicious brushed on grilled pork or grilled chicken. You could also use cubed sweet potatoes if you don't want to fool with peeling the butternut squash. I used a McIntosh apple because that's we had but I think this would work better with good ol' Granny Smith, which holds its shape when baked/roasted/grilled/sauteed much better than a McIntosh. This would also be delicious with toasted walnuts and cranberries for Thanksgiving. I told you I'm not really into recipes, right? It's your food-have fun with it!

Warm Butternut Squash and Rice Salad with Brussels Sprouts, Apples, and Dijon Vinaigrette

• 1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• 1 small apple, cubed
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 cup frozen Brussels sprouts
• Salt and pepper (about 1/2 and 1/4 of a teaspoon, respectively, if you like to measure!)
• 2 cups chicken broth, homemade if you have it and low sodium if you don't.
• 1 cup instant brown rice

For the Dijon Vinaigrette:

• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Dash of salt and dash of pepper

1. Heat 1-2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat until oil shimmers but does not smoke. Add onions and cook for 1-2 minutes, until just starting to turn translucent. Add butternut squash, stir to combine, and cover the skillet. Cook for 5-10 minutes, until the squash is just starting to get tender. Life the cover, stir everything around, add the frozen Brussels sprouts, and cover again. Cook for an additional 5 minutes or so, until the Brussels sprouts are heated through and the squash is almost tender. You don't want to cook anything all the way through because this is a one-pot dish and you'll be cooking the pot right in the pan with the squash, so it will finish cooking along with the rice.
2. Add 2 cups chicken broth to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Add the 1 cup brown rice, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes, until broth is absorbed and rice is cooked through.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the vinaigrette: whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl or small measuring cup. Whisk well to emulsify.
4. As soon as the rice is done cooking, while it is still cooking, add half the vinaigrette and toss. Taste the dressing at this point: my husband prefers things rather plain (*cough*bland*cough*), so I only used half the dressing in the finished dish and added additional dressing at the table. If you can't have too much flavor, like me, you may want to add the other half of the dressing. If not save it in the fridge, it's a great all-purpose vinaigrette.

What about you? Are you a Brussels sprouts lover or hater?Any foods you love that people tend not to like? Brussels sprouts is definitely on my list there, along with Rye bread, sardines, whole-grain mustard, and I'll stop there because I just made myself a nice little sandwich :) What's on your list?