AUTUMN 'GOODIES' ~ AGING OAKLEAF / MAPLE ROASED BRUSSELS SPROUTS with CHESTNUTS

"I like spring, but it is too young. I like summer, but it is too proud. So I like best of all autumn, because its tone is mellower, its colours are richer, and it is tinged with a little sorrow. Its golden richness speaks not of the innocence of spring, nor the power of summer, but of the mellowness and kindly wisdom of approaching age. It knows the limitations of life and its content."

~ Lin Yutang

~ November beauty

~ Early autumn

~ Summer

~ Aging cycle

__________________

MAPLE ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS with CHESTNUTS

~ Delicious bittersweet autumn taste to enjoy now and tuck away for Thanksgiving ( from Food & Wine/Nov 2005)
______________

1/2 cup canola oil
2 1/4 lbs. baby brussels sprouts or regular halved lengthwise brussels sprouts
coarse salt & freshly ground pepper
1 stick (4 oz.) unsalted butter (cut in tablespoons and soft)
2 Tbsp. light brown sugar
1/4 cup Grade A pure maple syrup
1 1/2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
1 cup coarsely chopped vacuum-packed roasted chestnuts
1 Tbsp. walnut oil

• Heat canola oil in very large skillet until shimmering. Add brussels sprouts and season with salt & pepper. Cook over high heat without stirring until browned, about 2 minutes. Add unsalted butter and brown sugar and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally until brown sugar is melted. Add Maple syrup and cook, stirring occasionally until brussels sprouts are just crisp-tender, about 7 minutes. Stir in cider vinegar. Add chestnuts and walnut oil and cook until hot.
• Transfer brussels sprouts with slotted spoon to bowl. Boil cooking liquid over high heat until thickened slightly, about 2 minutes. Pour sauce over brussels sprouts and serve. (10 servings)

___________________

Brussels Sprouts are Incredibly Healthy!

Brussels sprouts are a member of the cruciferous family of vegetables (along with broccoli, kale, turnips, Bok choy, cauliflower and more), which are widely known for their potent cancer-fighting compounds, which help detoxify carcinogens in the body and may prevent healthy cells from morphing into cancerous ones.

There are at least a dozen compounds in Brussels sprouts and other cruciferous vegetables that have peaked scientists' interest, including sulforaphane, which triggers the liver to produce enzymes that detoxify cancer-causing chemicals, inhibits chemically-induced breast cancers in animal studies, and induces colon cancer cells to commit suicide, according to The World's Healthiest Foods.

Brussels sprouts specifically have been found to:

• Decrease DNA damage, which may lower your risk of cancer
• Reduce the development of pre-cancerous cells in the colon and liver
• Help stop the proliferation of breast cancer cells, even in the later stages of growth
• Lower your risk of bladder, lung and ovarian cancers

Brussels sprouts can even help to improve your skin (not to mention fight off infections), as they're rich in vitamin A and beta carotene. These tiny powerhouse also contain vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, manganese, fiber, potassium, vitamin B6 and thiamin (vitamin B1), iron, phosphorous, protein, magnesium, riboflavin (vitamin B2), vitamin E, copper and calcium.