Paleo Bacon Walnut Brussels Sprouts

I spent the weekend relaxing. By relaxing, I mean staying up until 1:30AM Saturday night to shop Phillip Lim for Target. With bleary eyes from staring at my computer screen for almost four hours in nervous anticipation, I snatched up the bag I’d been eyeing! Totally worth it! Next to cooking, I love fashion and shopping.

This is technically the last full weekend of summer. I guess it is about time to cave to fall. Fall flavors aka pumpkin has been popping up everywhere! Everywhere! I like pumpkin but don’t like to get started too soon on the flavor or I get bored with it. Still, I’m trying to recreate one of my favorite pumpkin pies paleo-style! It’s my aunt’s “Frost on the Pumpkin.” I just love it’s name because I actually memorized James Whitcomb Riley’s famous poem “When the Frost is on the Pumpkin” when I was younger. Yeah. I was that cool when I was in middle school. 

With fall comes fall veggies, and my new favorite- brussels sprouts. This vegetable gets a bad rap. I wouldn’t even taste one until I was in my 20s and then I still thought it was gross. A couple years ago, brussels sprouts decided to change their negative imagine. The pairing of brussels sprouts and balsamic vinegar came onto the scene, and it was the perfect combination to make the vegetable shine. Now if I see brussels sprouts on the menu, I almost always order them. 

Ingredients

1 lb tiny brussels sprouts, or large brussels sprouts cut in half

2 tbls olive oil

2 tbls balsamic vinegar

1 tbls coconut sugar

1/2 tsp pink Himalayan salt 

3 strips bacon, or turkey bacon

1/2 cup walnut pieces

Directions

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss brussels sprouts with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, coconut sugar and pink salt. Place brussels sprouts on a shallow pan and pop into the oven. Try not to crowd the veggies. Cook for 20 minutes. Stir sprouts and cook for another 15 minutes. Place bacon on baking sheet and cook for 8 minutes, flip and cook for another 8 minutes. Let sprouts and bacon cool. Cut bacon into tiny strips. Combine sprouts, bacon and walnuts. Serve! 

Enjoy! 

x vanessa