I’m a bit of an odd duck.
I ate these roasted Brussels sprouts and cipollini onions over a mix of creamy sweet brown rice and oats—for breakfast this morning. Yes, for breakfast. And trust me, it was off-the-charts delicious.
Monday is my organic food delivery day. I belong to Grant Family Farms CSA and I’m the grateful recipient of 26 week’s worth of organic veggies, fruit and pastured eggs. I’ve been a member of Grant Farm’s CSA program for 5 years now and I’ve gotten very good at using up my bounty. BUT, it’s not easy unless you shift your thinking and eat vegetables for breakfast as well as lunch and dinner. I’m more than happy to do that as I’m a plant girl at heart.
If you prefer keeping Brussels sprouts at arm’s length, try them for breakfast. They’re ridiculously healthy and taste wonderful if you cook them right. Here’s how. Adjust ingredient amounts according to how much you want to make. The above photo was a single portion made in my grandmother’s small, cast iron skillet. Okay, it might have been a double portion, but I made it a single serving.
Cipollini (pronounced chip-oh-lee-nee) onions are small, mild and very sweet. Perfect for breakfast. The pinch of brown sugar and the natural sweetness of the onions carmelizes and sweetens the Brussels sprouts. They’re a delightful pair.
roasted Brussels sprouts and cipollini onions
10–12 Brussels sprouts
2–4 cipollini onions
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus a drizzle for the skillet
fresh ground black pepper
sea salt
brown sugar
Wash and trim Brussels sprouts, cut in half. Peel onions and cut in quarters. Place sprouts and onions in a small bowl. Add olive oil and mix well. Grind pepper over bowl (several grinds), sprinkle with salt (I like a good amount) and brown sugar (about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon). Mix well. Pour veggies into lightly oiled cast iron skillet and place on center rack of pre-heated 400 degree oven. Roast for 20 minutes. Pull skillet out of the oven and mix veggies to insure all sides get roasted. I usually add another pinch or two of sea salt, another grind of pepper and a pinch of brown sugar. Place back in the oven for another 10 to 15 minutes until golden brown.
Eat before 6 AM and fly through your morning.
Peace, love and breakfast veggies!
Melissa
You can cook breakfast for me anytime. I’m finding that my tastes are changing and I am going for more savory veggie dishes in the morning that would not have appealed to me in my younger days. I’m listening to my body and going with it-just as you did with this bowl of yumminess.
Wendy,
I’d be happy to have you over for breakfast! I really notice a shift in my eating habits with the seasonal changes. Roasted veggies are my go-to food choices right now.
I love savory breakfasts, especially ones heavy on the veggies! This really does sound delicious, for breakast or any meal. 🙂
Ricki,
Thanks for your comment! I need all the support I can get with this post. =) I was never a big Brussels sprout fan until I joined my CSA and got fresh, organic sprouts directly from the farm. What a difference! And I love them roasted with lots of sea salt. Or, like this with a touch of brown sugar. Or, with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Or…well, you get the idea. I’m a true believer now!
Are you kidding? I’m right there with you on loving this kind of breakfast. 😉 This recipe and the photo seriously make me drool, Melissa. Must pick up some Brussels sprouts! 🙂
xo,
Shirley
Shirley,
I wish you lived next door. I would have shared it with you! You could bring fresh REAL honey for the tea. =)
At one of my local stores I can get petite brussel sprouts! Yummy! They are frozen, but they still taste good to me. My 8 year olds gobble them up, too. Thanks for a great post, and another alternative way to enjoy our food.
Hazel,
Thanks for the info on petite Brussels sprouts. And I LOVE it that your 8 year old is gobbling them up. That’s awesome!
Melissa,
Adding a little brown sugar is brilliant! My favorite dinner when my husband is out is roasted brussels sprouts and mashed potatoes or a baked sweet potato. Now, with your ingenuity, I don’t have to wait til dinner! Thanks!
Hi Kim!
I’m not sure it’s brilliant, but it does sweeten up the sprouts so they taste good first thing in the morning. =) Roasted sprouts and mashed potatoes is total comfort food in my book!
Thanks for your comment. I appreciate it!
OMG Melissa, that looks like an ideal meal to me! I love Brussels sprouts and haven’t had the type of onions in years. I love veggies for breakfast too, but forget about that as an option.
Alisa,
I love these onions. They’re so sweet. I’ve been eating a lot of veggies for breakfast lately. Part of that is the change of seasons. I want “warming” foods. Roasted veggies hit the spot.
Melissa, we are so on the same wavelength. I am a HUGE Brussels Sprouts girl and could eat them morning, noon and night. Because of your post, I went right out and bought some BS and will be having them for breakfast tomorrow morning. Here’s to rethinking breakfast!
Ellen,
And I thought I had a lock on Brussels sprouts for breakfast. There are more of us out there than I thought! Here’s to living in the same parallel universe! =) I love it. Thanks for sharing your enthusiasm!
[…] Gluten Free for Good shared Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Cipollini Onions […]
Perfect timing, I just came home with some brussels sprouts and was trying to decide how to cook them. I love roasted veggies, so these sound perfect. Thanks
Nancy,
It’s Brussels sprouts time of the year! I wasn’t always a fan, but roasting them makes them taste delicious. Plus, they’re SO healthy! Perfect timing and perfect combo (healthy and good). =)
Nancy,
And they are great roasted in a cast iron skillet. Plus, I just think it looks cool. =)
I love Brussels sprouts, especially roasted! I’ve never had for breakfast but now I’m considering it. I usually go sweet in the morning solely because sweet goes better with my morning coffee.
Can you tell me what you do to make a combination of oats/rice creamy? Do you cook them together or separately? Is it like rice pudding?
Thanks so much!
Jess,
I often cook them together. But you can’t use instant oats. GF whole oats or those steel cut oats. I like them mixed with a little rice. I sometimes toast the rice in a dry skillet for a few minutes first. Then cook them as a porridge. It’s good!
I love brussel sprouts too (ahem, not for breakfast)! As of last year 🙂 I can’t wait to try your version! Ahhh, what would we do without our farmers? I am sooo thankful for the work they do! Bless CSA’s everywhere!
Maggie,
You and I are on the same page with this. Yes, bless farmers and CSAs everywhere. Good thoughts!
Melissa – I eat brussels sprouts any time of the day or night. Just love them! Hoping we get a few stalks at our CSA pick up tomorrow.
Nancy,
My CSA share is still going on. One more week, I think — and Brussels sprouts have been a regular occurrence lately. I love them roasted!
I`m so in love with this kind of breakfast!!!I love brussel sprouts!!!
Hi Nicole, I love this kind of breakfast, too. Glad I’m not the only one. =)
I love Brussels Sprouts; they are my favorite and I seriously eat them everyday..love this recipe, thanks so much for sharing.
Have a great night.
Thanks so much. I can’t say I’d eat Brussels sprouts every day, but I do like them. I need to bounce over to TheHealthyApple and see what’s going on with you. Love your blog!
I made brussel sprouts last night and wish I came across this recipe. Sounds tasty!
Amy,
It’s a good way to easily make the sprouts. Tasty too. I want to try them sautéed with balsamic. Doesn’t that sound good?
I’ve made this recipe twice now, although not for breakfast. I would, just don’t have enough time in the mornings! Thank you for the inspiration- I had no idea what to do with those brussel sprouts from GFF- so glad they did not go to waste!
Hi Marjorie,
Glad I could help! I’m in the process of slow cooking those beans we got this week. Should be interesting. They smell delicious!
For years I only knew Brussels sprouts in the boiled format (British parents…). I recently found that they also work well when roasted with other seasonal veggies – mixed with carrots, parsnips and sweet potatoes. Delicious!
As for breakfast – we have been brainwashed in North America about what our first meal should look like (sugar and starch!) In much of Europe they eat meats and cheeses… so I say, whatever your body craves (but ideally with some protein in the mix). Love your blog!
gluten free gift — you are so right! American’s have been brainwashed about food in many ways. I love the idea of roasting Brussels sprouts with sweet potatoes. Very creative mix. I’ll be trying that soon as I’m still getting sprouts in my CSA share here in Colorado. And you’re right about adding some protein to breakfast (any meal). It helps keep you from crashing 2 hours later. Thanks! I appreciate your comments.
Those are my favorite type of onions. What a great combo!!!!!
This looks delicious. I do think I’d have a tough time resisting the urge to cook up a slice of bacon and cook this in the bacon fat though. But that’s just me. I think bacon and brussel sprouts were meant for each other. But I’m right there with you eating weird stuff for breakfast. I eat lots of veggies all the time in the morning (at one point this week, I had a huge serving of collard greens!). I prefer a protein and veggie heavy breakfast – that’s when I feel my best.
[…] of veggie breakfast ideas and made a savory shredded kale and butternut breakfast bowl inspired by Melissa of Gluten Free For Good who is a big fan of veggies for breakfast. Frittatas and quiches are also an easy way to pack a lot […]
Sounds like a great recipe- love roasted Brussel sprouts. I’ve done something similar, but without the brown sugar and with duck fat instead of olive oil and shallots in place of the cipollini onions.
Hi Will,
You can’t go wrong with shallots. They’ve become a favorite of mine. And by the way, much easier to peel than cipollini onions. =) Thanks for adding to the recipe conversation!
Just made the roasted brussel sprouts and onions for a dinner side dish. So yummy! I hadn’t found a recipe for brussel sprouts that Tom and I liked. I couldn’t find the cipollini onions, so I just used red pearl onions. That worked well. No cast iron skillet from MY grandma….