You should know that Brussels sprouts are widely used here in the Netherlands, but I rarely make them because the boys at home just don’t like them, in any way. However, when I saw them at the supermarket at a very cheap price, I couldn’t help but buy them! I wanted to try a combination of quinoa with Brussels sprouts and other ingredients to encourage at least the Dutchman to try…
No way! He didn’t even want to taste… man of little faith! I must say that I’m not a fan of this vegetable either, but if there is a way to make it enjoyable, it’s definitely this one, thanks to the cooking method I’ll explain later and the sweet pomegranate seeds that contrast the bitterness of the sprouts.
Quinoa with Brussels sprouts, chickpeas, and pomegranate is a light, yet vegan and gluten-free dish, which I truly recommend you try: it’s delicious and extremely filling, I was very pleased with the outcome. I found the recipe on an English website, I’ll leave the link below, but I modified the quantities, especially of the seasonings, to turn it into an ideal one-dish meal also for the diet with only 8 Weight Watchers Propoints.
Here are some other recipes with pomegranate:
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 3 or 4
- Cooking methods: Stove, Oven
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: Fall, Winter
Ingredients
- 1.1 lbs Brussels sprouts
- 3/4 cup quinoa
- 1 can canned chickpeas
- 4 tsp extra virgin olive oil (4 measuring teaspoons)
- 1 lemon (untreated, juice and zest)
- 1 pomegranate
- to taste parsley
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
- Points per serving (divided into 3) = 8 WW points
- Points per serving (divided into 4) = 6 WW points
Tools
- Knife
- Bowl
- Baking Tray
- Lemon Zester
- Pot
- Air Fryer
- Cup
Steps
Wash the Brussels sprouts, trim the hard bottom part, and remove any damaged outer leaves. Cut them in half lengthwise except for the smallest ones, which you can leave whole. Place all cleaned and cut sprouts in a bowl, add some salt and pepper, and two teaspoons of oil. Mix with hands to thoroughly coat all sprouts. Place them on a baking tray, cut side down. At this point, you can either bake them at 428°F (392°F fan) for about 45 minutes or put the tray in the air fryer at 320°F-356°F for about 30 minutes. The sprouts should not be turned and should be well-colored and tender, but not burnt. Turn off and keep them warm in the oven or air fryer.
Meanwhile, prepare the quinoa following the package instructions. Typically, quinoa needs to be rinsed thoroughly and then placed in a pot with double the amount of water and a pinch of salt. Once the water boils, lower the heat and let it cook for about 10 minutes: at that point, you will see the typical tail of the quinoa seeds emerge. If there is excess water, you can drain it, then fluff the seeds with a fork, as you would with rice. Add the well-drained chickpeas to the quinoa and mix. In a cup, pour the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil, a little salt and pepper, the juice and part of the grated lemon zest, and mix well. Seed the pomegranate.
Now combine all the ingredients: in the serving dish, pour the chickpeas and quinoa and dress with the oil and lemon mix, mixing well. Add the still warm sprouts and some of the pomegranate seeds reserved for decoration. Decorate with a few parsley leaves, the rest of the pomegranate seeds, and grated lemon zest. Et voilà, the quinoa with Brussels sprouts, chickpeas, and pomegranate is ready to be enjoyed!
I found this dish very tasty, a valid way to appreciate Brussels sprouts for sure: when roasted, they acquire a great flavor, indeed it’s hard to resist eating them as soon as they come out of the oven (and you can see that from the photo above!).
Moreover, it is a complete vegan dish ideal also for those who are gluten intolerant. It is extremely filling and gives a great sense of fullness for a long time. As it is also good once cooled, I recommend it to anyone who takes lunch to work or school: in fact, the leftover I stored in the fridge was even better the next day! Try making it and let me know if you liked it…
Bon appétit!
by Giovanna Buono
Notes
Source used for this recipe: Power Hungry – Roasted Brussels sprouts-quinoa salad
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
How long and how to store it?
You can store this dish in the fridge for 3 or 4 days in an airtight container. I haven’t tried, but I don’t think it can be frozen, especially the sprouts would lose their freshness. However, you can prepare the quinoa in advance and freeze it in pre-portioned bags. Once defrosted, it will be like freshly made.
What is quinoa?
Quinoa is considered a grain but it is actually the seeds of a plant and is now very popular on our tables. It is cooked like pasta, eaten hot or cold, and I like it a lot because it has a nutty aftertaste. Plus, it has many beneficial properties for our bodies!
What can I use instead of quinoa?
You can use any grain, but if you are gluten intolerant, I suggest making it with millet or sorghum.
If I want to use dried chickpeas, what should I do?
For this dish, I prefer canned chickpeas because they remain firmer, but if you want to cook them yourself, you need to soak about 100 g of chickpeas overnight, about 12 hours, and then boil them in unsalted water for about 2 hours. If they do not soften, you can add a pinch of baking soda and cook for another half hour. Use the needed amount and freeze the rest.
How can I replace the pomegranate?
When pomegranate is not in season or expensive, I add other fruits: a sweet apple cut into small pieces or blueberries.
