Move over Kale Chips! If you've ever roasted brussels sprouts, you've probably experienced those little, joyous, crispy & almost burnt petals that escape from their mother sprout. A roasting pan littered with these wayward leaves always makes me smile. So why not make them a dish of their own?

This recipe is 100% inspired by the Kale Chip recipe that I recently posted. The dressing is pretty much identical, so if you like this one, you'll love that one!

Pulse together 1/3 cup of raw cashews, 1/4 cup of raw pumpkin seeds, 5 tbsp nutritional yeast, your spices of choice (I went with salt, cayenne & garlic powder) and coconut nectar.

Let's talk about that for a sec. Coconut nectar is a minimally processed, raw sugar that comes from the flowering stems of the coconut blossom. It's already sweet when tapped, so requires minimal heat to process further. This allows the finished product to retain much of its enzymes, minerals and amino acids. It's very low on the glycemic index, with a GI of 35 and it's high in inulin and fructooligosaccharides, two important pre-biotic fibres which can help to improve digestion by feeding our gut bacteria (however, its also an important sugar to avoid if you're sensitive to FOS - so pay attention to how your feel after consuming it).  Coconut nectar is not overly sweet and works very well in dishes like this one, as it's got a great texture and a rich flavour. When fermented, it becomes coconut aminos, a soy sauce substitute. When dehydrated and crystallized, it becomes coconut sugar, a good substitute for cane sugar.

It's definitely worth it to try to incorporate coconut nectar and coconut sugar into your diet. However, if you're not interested, you can use honey in this recipe, instead.

Pulse everything in the food processor until you've got a fine crumble. Set it aside.

Now, lets talk about brussels sprouts. You can find these beauties in season at your local farmers market right now (so get going). They're a tremendously hearty little vegetable and a nutritional powerhouse. Brussels Sprouts are cruciferous vegetables and are an excellent source of glucosinolates. Glucosinolates are sulphur-containing compounds that, when consumed or fermented, are broken down into active compounds that can lower the risk for certain types of cancers. One glucosinolate found in Brussels Sprouts, called glucobrassicin, is broken down into an important molecule called indol-3-carbinol (I3C). I3C molecules combine with one another in the acidic environment of the stomach to form another important compound called DIM. You may have heard these names before, as they're often included in supplements that aim to improve detoxification and estrogen-dominant conditions like abdominal weight gain & bloating, irregular or difficult menstrual periods, PCOS, endometriosis and fibrocystic breast disease. There is a lot of research behind the effectiveness of cruciferous veggies and their glucosinolates for the improvement of these and other conditions (here, have a read). It is important to note that when consumed raw, I3C molecule can only convert to DIM under the right acidic conditions in the stomach. When cooked, I3C is, instead, metabolized by our bacteria in the colon. A very good example of why we must always baby our digestive system from top to bottom. Reduce your antacid intake (look into enzymes, HCL supplementation or herbs to improve digestion) and limit your antibiotic use. Eat fermented foods, take your probiotics, get your fibre, limit alcohol intake, limit your consumption of inflammatory sugar & grains, get enough fat...I could go on and on. 

But let's get back to the recipe.

Remove the ends and tiny little cores. This will make it much easier to separate the petals.

Separate all the petals. Talk radio is a good accompaniment for this job.

Gently massage them in about 3 tbsp of olive oil. Ensure that each little leaf is coated.

Top with the cashew dressing.

And massage again.

Divide them between two or even three parchment-lined baking trays. Bake at about 325 degrees F for 20 minutes, remove from the oven, toss and bake for 20 - 30 minutes more, checking on them regularly. When it comes to veggie chips, every oven is different. We recently got a new one and it bakes a bit cooler than our old one, so we're still adjusting. You've got to find that perfect place between a bit soggy and a bit too crispy. So always baby your veggies chips until you get the hang of it.

Enjoy these crispy petals on their own, in place of chips or crackers (when you're binge watching netflix), as a bacon bit or crouton substitute on salads, or as a lovely side (these babies would pair beautifully with a steak & potato dish). 

Toasted Brussels Sprout Petals

• About 2 lb Brussels Sprouts
• 3 tbsp olive oil

Topping

• 1/3 cup raw cashews
• 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
• 5 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• pinch cayenne powder
• pinch garlic powder
• 1 tbsp coconut nectar (or raw honey)

1. Wash and prepare Brussels Sprouts, separating the petals and placing in a large mixing bowl
2. Massage with olive oil
3. Prepare topping: pulse all ingredients in a food processor until it's the texture of a fine crumble
4. Gently massage petals with the topping
5. Divide onto 2 or 3 parchment-lined cookie trays
6. Bake at 325 degrees F for 20 minutes, remove from oven, toss and flip petals, bake for 20 - 30 minutes more, until crisp (check on them regularly!)

Enjoy!