Low Sodium Slow-Cooker Cranberry Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
My slow-cooker (crockpot) seems to be always on during the fall. I love to make so many tasty warm dishes that I can load up in the morning and have it ready by dinner time. Fall is also a huge baking and cooking time for my family, as we gear up for Thanksgiving and the start of the Holiday Season. Cranberries are an ingredient that we should be eating more of all year round, but we seem to only remember them around this time of the year. Then we always seem to have so much extra on hand. My low sodium slow-cooker Cranberry Brussels Sprouts will take care of that problem.
Not The Brussels Sprouts You Remember
If we had Brussels sprouts as kids, we most often had them frozen or canned rather than fresh. They tended to be bitter an acrid from the process. They tasted awful. Today’s freezing techniques have improved, so that the process doesn’t turn them. Of course if you can find fresh in season, then that works.
Brussels sprouts actually have a sweet and nutty flavor if done right. They hold up to many flavor profiles. You can go savory with them as I do in my Maple Chipotle Sweet Potato Hash, or sweeter like I will do with this Cranberry Balsamic sauce. They are high in cholesterol lowering fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. If you are on blood thinners though, you may have to avoid due to the high levels of vitamin K.
Creative Uses of Cranberries
It never fails that I buy two or three extra bags of cranberries at a time. I will use a majority of them in my Cranberry Relish Salad or my Cranberry Sauce for Thanksgiving. So I need to find other places to use them. Besides this recipe, I like them to make my Cranberry Punch and Sangria, or in my Overnight Oats. I especially like them in my recipe to get rid of Thanksgiving leftovers, my Turkey Enchiladas with Cranberry Salsa.
This dish require minimal prep beyond the chopping of the sprouts, garlic, and cranberries. Then you just whisk together a simple sauce and set it up in the crockpot. Then just set it and go and it will be ready to go a few hours later when it is time to eat.
From The Cookbook
This recipe is in my new cookbook – The Easy Low Sodium Diet Plan & Cookbook. It is available on Amazon or in Barnes and Nobles Stores. You can also ask at your local book store for them to order it.
The Recipe For Low Sodium Slow-Cooker Cranberry Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
Low Sodium Slow-Cooker Cranberry Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Stone Ground Mustard the lowest sodium you can find
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil extra virgin
- 4 cloves Garlic slivered
- 1/4 cup Water
- 1 lb Brussels Sprouts Trimmed and halved
- 1/3 cup Cranberries dried or 1/2 cup fresh cut in half
- 1/2 cup Balsamic Vinegar
- 1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper
- 1/2 tsp Paprika
Instructions
- In a medium bowl - thoroughly whisk together the mustard, olive oil, and water
- In a slow-cooker (crockpot) place the Brussels sprouts, garlic, and cranberries. Add the dressing you just whisked together with the paprika and pepper, and stir all to coat the whole mixture.
- Cook on high for 2 hours and 15 minutes, or on low for 4 and a half hours. or until the sprouts are lightly browned and tender.
- Add the vinegar to a small pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until it thickens to a syrup-like consistency, about 12 minutes.
- Stir the sprouts, drizzle in the vinegar and serve immediately