Bacon Roasted Brussels Sprouts | AIP, Paleo, Low-Carb Recipe

Welcome back to Flawed yet Functional! I’m Emily, an adult-onset, Type 1 Diabetic managing my blood sugar levels (and discovering food sensitivities) through the Autoimmune Protocol. You can read more of my healthy journey here! Eating whole, healthy food is extremely important to me, and I work hard to put a variety of vegetables on the table each day. Today I’d like to share my latest roasted vegetable, Bacon Roasted Brussels Sprouts.

Ok, whew! You clicked through. Were you scared a little bit by the Brussels Sprouts? It’s ok. You can be honest.

I grew up thinking Brussels Sprouts were the vegetable from H-E-Double-Hockey-Sticks. There just couldn’t be a worse vegetable. Am I right??

It’s funny how life changes you though. Thankfully, I had a friend share that Brussels Sprouts were, in fact, their favorite vegetable. WHAT?!? There are people out there that eat Brussels Sprouts willingly and LIKE it?? Mind. Blown.

This friend shared with me that the best way to eat Brussels Sprouts is roasted. I tried it, and I’m a believer. Brussels Sprouts are awesome. I’m not sure they are my favorite, but they are definitely in my top 10!

How to Roast Vegetables

For any vegetable, I use the same basic process to roast them.

• Preheat the oven to 450°.
• Clean vegetable then chop into similar sized pieces.
• In a large bowl, toss with salt, pepper, and a fat (olive oil, coconut oil, bacon fat, avocado oil, etc.)
• Roast on a parchment paper lined baking sheet for 15 minutes then stir.
• Continue roasting until desired tenderness.

The main thing that varies from vegetable to vegetable is the cook time. Otherwise, the process is the same.

The Secret Ingredient

For the most part, I roast vegetables in olive oil, salt, and pepper. It’s quick, easy, and results in tasty vegetables every time.

BUT, if you want to go the extra mile and amp up the savory factor, use bacon fat to coat the vegetables. You can’t go wrong with bacon fat. It is delicious no matter where you use it!

Where does one get this fat, you might ask? I keep a Weck jar by the rest of my oil and vinegars that I add the bacon fat drippings to each time I bake bacon. The Weck jar has a nice wide opening which make adding or removing the fat easier. You can use any jar you like, but I really like this kind of jar.

Spice It Up!

For weekday dinners, I rarely take the time to toss in extra spices into my roasted veggies, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t! If you’d like to vary the flavor or maybe try to change things up a bit, here are other spices I’ve tried.

• Granulated or fresh minced garlic – Add 1/2-1 teaspoon.
• Onion Powder – Add 1/2 teaspoon.
• Rosemary – Add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon.

If you try a different spice, let me know what you tried and how it turned out!

Roasting vegetables is the best way to eat most vegetables, in my opinion. If you are new to eating more vegetables or wanting your kids to try different varieties, try roasting them! Bacon Roasted Brussels Sprouts are unique and delicious. I wouldn’t lie to you, even 10 year old me would’ve liked them! Try them today!