M: Brussels Sprouts and Cauliflower Gratin

How was your Monday? Mine ended on a very good note. Since the hubs worked extra late I put my favorite movie on (my most favorite book as well, Eat Pray Love) and relaxed with my pups. Secretly I was also super lazy because I could barely move I was so sore from Sunday’s yoga session.

So, another secret, I also have historically not been a huge fan of brussels sprouts. I know, it’s a travesty. There are a lot of people, including my husband, who chastise me for this fact…or more just make fun of me =) I mean, really, I love almost any veggie you put in front of my face, what’s the big deal about brussels sprouts?

BUT, can I please now say I am officially a brussels sprouts fan? Oh yes, yes I am…All because of this recipe. It is SO good. I could eat them all day in this dish. The creamy béchamel-like sauce that is tossed with the veggies along with the crispy panko topping? DELICIOUS! I definitely plan to do this using broccoli next time.

Brussels Sprouts and Cauliflower Gratin

from Cooking Light

4 cups cauliflower florets (about 1 lb.)

4 cups trimmed brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered (about 1 3/4 lb.)

1/4 cup AP flour

1 1/2 cups 1% milk

2/3 cup half and half

3/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

4 slices center cut bacon, chopped

2 cups sweet onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup panko

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Cook cauliflower and brussels sprouts in boiling water for about 2 minutes. Drain.

Combine flour, milk, half and half, salt, pepper, and nutmeg into a bowl and whisk together until well combined.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until it begins to brown, stirring occasionally. Add onion and garlic. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in milk mixture. Bring to a simmer. Cook 5 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly (mine thickened pretty quickly).

Remove from heat. Stir in your veggies. Spoon into an 11 x 7 inch broiler safe dish coated with cooking spray.

Cover with foil and bake for about 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Preheat broiler to high. Remove foil from dish. Combine cheese and panko. Sprinkle over vegetable mixture. Broil 4 minutes or until browned.

Enjoy!

P.S. Marley

E: White Bean & Spinach Crock Pot Soup & Blogger Meet up

Normally, I would be sad that it is Monday “already”….but I’m so excited for our doctors appointment later this week…that there are no complaints from over here today! I’m thinking about doing a guess the babies sex giveaway. The prize would be a homemade baked good (your choice: vegan almond butter chocolate chunk cookies, vegan chocolate, chocolate chip pumpkin muffins or peanut butter flour chocolate chip cookies)- would y’all be interested? If I get a good response, I will put the giveaway up on Wednesday!! Two things I want to share with you:

1) Blogger brunch at Charleston’s Cafe.

I had been looking forward to this get together for quite some time! Unfortunately, a few people couldn’t make it last minute, but a great time was had by all who made it out. The cafe already had a longgg line at 9:30:

I started my meal with a great cup of decaf:

 

And ordered oatmeal with strawberries and skim for breakfast:

 

All the ladies!! Me (+bump), Blair, Lindsay and Mandi:

2) I made a very tasty & healthy soup the other night that I must share! I found this crock pot/slow cooker white bean & spinach soup recipe through FitnessMagazine.com. The soup does not contain a lot of ingredients but packs great flavor! I followed the directions almost exactly. I did use a TJs rice mixture instead of just brown rice and I added in 1/8 teaspoon of ground red pepper (for just a tiny bit of kick- I’m a red pepper addict ;)). The outcome:

Not gorgeous- but so good! Josh loved it too. Along side our soup, we each had fruit (peaches for Josh, cantaloupe for me) & a baked tortilla (cut into “chips). Josh also had a string cheese and two peanut butter flour chocolate chip cookies:

  

A wonderful meal! We had this for dinner on Friday and enjoyed leftovers on Sunday. I’m off to teach Body Pump. Enjoy the last day of February!