Brussels Sprouts with Dates

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Brussels sprouts can be an acquired taste, but I don’t know many people who can resist this candied delicacy when they’re prepared with sweet and chewy dates. A tasty weeknight side dish!

This recipe yields 5 servings (approximately 8 small brussel sprouts per serving)

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 pounds of small Brussels sprouts
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil (for sauce) plus 1 extra tablespoon
  • 1 teaspoon duck fat
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 5 pitted dates
  • 2 Tablespoons of date syrup
  • 1 kilogram of small Brussels sprouts
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil (for sauce) plus 1 extra tablespoon
  • 1 teaspoon duck fat
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 5 pitted dates
  • 2 Tablespoons of date syrup

Directions

  1. Cut the ends off of the Brussels sprouts and then cut them in half vertically.

  2. Toss the sprouts in olive oil, duck fat and ¼ teaspoon of salt.

  3. Place them in an air fryer on 390 degrees Fahrenheit / 200 degrees Celsius degrees for approximately 15-17 minutes.

  4. While the sprouts are cooking, pit and chop dates.

  5. In a large bowl, mix the extra olive oil, dates, date syrup, and remaining sea salt.

  6. Remove sprouts from the air fryer and add to the date sauce. Toss and serve. 

Tips

**The more dates and date syrup you add the sweeter the dish will be, so it’s best to add slowly and taste as you go. 
**If you don’t have an air fryer, you could easily roast the Brussels sprouts in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit / 200 degrees Celsius for about 15-20 minutes.
**As with most things, bacon bits make a delicious addition.

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Roasted Broccoli

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Broccoli’s reputation as a superfood is well-merited; its satisfying crunch packs a healthy punch with a wealth of antioxidants, fiber, and vitamin C. It also makes for a flavorful side dish. Roasting broccoli enhances its crisp texture as opposed to steaming it. If you add a mixture of extra virgin oil and duck fat, it will caramelize and become sweet. 

This recipe yields 6 servings.

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 broccoli stalks
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon duck fat
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 4 broccoli stalks
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon duck fat
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit / 175 degrees Celsius.

  2. Cut off broccoli stems to create small florets.

  3. Put florets in a bowl and pour olive oil on top.

  4. Evenly sprinkle salt over broccoli.

  5. Heat duck fat in a mini sauce pan or melt the duck fat down by rubbing it together in your hands.

  6. With duck fat still on hands, toss the broccoli, olive oil and sea salt until coated evenly.

  7. Place florets on a baking tray, leaving space between each floret so they roast rather than steam.

  8. Roast for 30 minutes. To ensure a more even roasting, flip broccoli halfway through. Remove from the oven and serve.

Tips

*I use duck fat to stabilize the olive oil because of olive oil’s low smoke point.
**Broccoli stems are high FODMAP, which is why I only use the florets, but the stems are nutritious and can be delicious, as well. 

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Nicaraguan Tacos

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These easy-to-make Nicaraguan tacos, or taquitos, are a fabulous flavor combination that feature a satisfying crunch and offer a fun way to mix up your meal plan. 

This recipe yields 8 tacos.

INGREDIENTS


  • For Tacos:
  • 1 tablespoon ghee
  • 1 leek, 6 inches cut from green stem and chopped
  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • ½ red bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 red tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon garlic-infused olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon berbere spice
  • 8 Siete tortillas
  • ½ cup duck fat (or preferred type of animal or vegetable fat for frying)

  • For Salad:
  • 1 head of romaine lettuce, thinly sliced
  • 1 tomato, chopped
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • ¼ -½ cup olive oil
  • 2 avocados or guacamole

  • For Tacos:
  • 1 tablespoon ghee
  • 1 leek, 15 cm cut from green stem and chopped
  • 1 kilogram ground beef
  • ½ red bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 red tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon garlic-infused olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon berbere spice
  • 8 Siete tortillas
  • 64 grams cup duck fat (or preferred type of animal or vegetable fat for frying)

  • For Salad:
  • 1 head of romaine lettuce, thinly sliced
  • 1 tomato, chopped
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 60 -120 ml olive oil
  • 2 avocados or guacamole

Directions

  1. Prepare 2 large skillets. Melt ghee in the first skillet over medium heat.

  2. Add chopped leek and sauté until pieces soften.

  3. Add ground beef, peppers, tomatoes, garlic-infused olive oil, and spices to the meat. 

  4. Break down the meat into small pieces as it cooks. Cook for 15 minutes or until done, then cover with a lid and place to the side while you prepare the tortillas.

  5. Warm tortillas in a comal or crepe pan for a minute on each side, then place on a kitchen towel and wrap to steam.

  6. While the tortillas are warming, heat duck fat in second large skillet.

  7. Place a spoonful of meat in each of the tortillas. Roll up each tortilla tightly and secure with a toothpick, if necessary. 

  8. Place all of the taquitos into the duck fat, slowly turning them as they fry. 

  9. Once the tortillas are crispy all the way around, remove them from the fat and place on a plate with a paper towel to soak up extra grease. 

  10. Toss romaine, tomato, lemon juice and olive oil in a bowl. Serve on top of tacos with a dollop of guacamole or avocado.

 Recipe Tips

**Traditionally, olive oil or avocado oil is used for frying. However, they both have a low smoke point and turn into trans fat if heated too much. Any animal fat or high smoke point oil, like coconut, can be used instead. I chose duck fat and it turned out to be delicious.
**It’s not critical to have two large skillets. Simply remove cooked meat and clean or scrape the bottom of the meat pan to prepare the tortillas.

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