Do you still have negative connotations when you hear the word Brussels Sprouts? Unless you’ve had a life-changing experience since you were a kid and (most probably) been fed steamed brussels sprouts by your parents, I totally get it..
I’m here to change your perception and judgment of the humble brussels sprouts and if you’re already a brussels lover? Well, then I might even make you fall even harder and deeper in love with them with this recipe.
I’ve got to let you in on the secret to getting crispy brussels sprouts in a matter of minutes though – it’s all thanks to the new Ninja Foodi which is literally a comprehensive ‘kitchen-system’ that includes the multiple cooking functions like; grilling, steaming, baking, roasting, pressure cooking, air frying and slow cooking up to 70% faster than traditional methods, without losing the integrity of your favourite flavour-filled dishes.
And although Ninja did contact me to try this new compact kitchen machine out, initially I was sceptic, but I can genuinely say I’ve fallen head over heels with the ease, efficacy and taste that this machine brings to my meals. I’m especially looking forward to using it for winter to cook soups, casseroles and stews that are hearty and warm – especially gut-friendly ones, as cooked vegetables and cooked meats are a must if you’re dealing with a poor digestion (raw food is simply too hard on it) – to come home to after a long day out.
The smart thing about the Ninja Foodi is that it has several functions as described above. But, the other really clever things is that you can cook a whole meal in one go. This is a super smart thing for anyone who doesn’t have extensive time to spend in the kitchen or maybe just don’t want to? It truly does seal in the flavour and moisture like nothing else, and the salmon fillet I cooked with this recipe (below) is one of the most moist fillets I’ve ever tasted.
The one thing I’ve also come to discover is this; the manual is a little overwhelming in the beginning because there are so many different functions and uses to this machine (hence why it’s so comprehensive), but once you actually just start playing around with it, you’ll quickly realise it’s really darn hard to mess it up, even if you try to be really ‘fancy’ and make an inventive meal, it just somehow works. Even Pash can figure out how to operate it and cook when I’m not home to ‘put the bacon on the table’, and it takes only a few minutes to clean with soap & warm water.
I wanted to showcase a recipe that’s in season, because I believe it’s so important to eat what’s seasonally fresh and available to us – both for our bodies but also for the environment around us as it has far less impact on it that way.
In Australia, its’ Brussels Sprouts season currently and they’re super duper cheap – I’m talking a kilo for $5-$7. The same goes for broccoli and then simply adding a (skin off) fillet of salmon to the pot and you have yourself a healthy, gut-friendly and easy meal that can be prepared by anyone.
Ingredients:
- 1 piece of skin-off salmon fillet
- 150 grams of brussels sprouts (stems removed, halved)
- 4 florets of broccoli
- 1/4 avocado
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp flaxseed oil
- 2 cups of water
- 1/2 lemon
- Hemp Seeds
- Pepitas
Directions:
- Pre-heat your Ninja Foodi on air-crisping mode for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the brussels sprouts to a bowl and lightly coat in a little toasted sesame oil & salt and pepper.
- Add them to the AIR FRYING basket, and set the Air Crisper Setting to 15 minutes.
- After 7 minutes, toss the brussels sprouts in the air frying basket, and create a little ‘hole’ in the middle.
- Add the salmon fillet (with salt & pepper) in between the brussels sprouts and keep air-crisping for another 7-8 minutes.
- Add 2 cups of water to the POT and add the AIR-FRYING basket.
- Add your broccoli & put on the steaming-lid. Keep the vent open.
- Hit steam & leave it for about 5 minutes so it’s lightly steamed, but still with a slight crunch to the bite.
- Arrange all on a plate, and add avocado, 1/2 lemon, hemp seeds & pepitas, drizzle with flaxseed oil.
Can you please (!!!) make a gut healthy cook book? 🙏🏻