Recipe courtesy of Sassy Radish adapted from Molly

As diabetics, too often we focus on the foods we’re not supposed to eat, struggling to say no to pasta and bagels and all the things we know can wreak havoc on our blood sugar. But there are countless delicious recipes that won’t send our glucose levels out of control — and we think Diabetes Awareness Month is a perfect time to share some of our favorites. We’ve gathered diabetes friendly recipes from leading chefs and food bloggers and other great cooks, all of whom know that eating healthily doesn’t mean having to skimp on taste.

Everyone is probably counting the days down to Thanksgiving, I know I am. Menus have been planned, dishes have been discussed, shopping lists drawn. And yet, in my emails with friends from here and there, I keep hearing the same sentiment - I just need more sides. Well, if more sides is what you need, here, use this one. Because, let’s face it, the green beans have been overused to the point of delirium. They could use a break from all this pressure to perform on the foodiest of all the food holidays. Here, give Brussels sprouts a go.  Disliked by many a child, I am almost positive that he (or she) will gobble this up in minutes. And maybe even ask you for seconds. I think that the trick here is cream, which in my opinion, makes most things better and elevates them to a status fit for a feast and not just an everyday side. Lemon juice, too, makes it sparkle even more so. And seeing as this is really easy to make you won’t even feel taxed adding one more side to your Thanksgiving menu. And it’ll look that much more impressive!

Ingredients:
1 ¼ lb. Brussels sprouts
1 finely sliced leek
1 sliced shallot
3 Tbs unsalted butter
¼ tsp coarse sea salt, plus more to taste
1 cup heavy cream – use the best cream you can find (I like Ronnybrook)
1 Tbs fresh lemon juice, or more to taste

Preparation:

Trim the stem end of each sprout and discard any brown or rotting leaves. Cut the sprouts into quarters and set aside. Carefully clean the leek and slice it discarding the stringy, green part.

In a cocotte, or a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the Brussels sprouts, the leek, and the shallot, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sprouts are nicely browned in spots, about 5 minutes or so.

Pour in the cream, stir to mix, and then cover the pot. Reduce the heat to low or medium low so there’s a slow simmer. Braise until the sprouts are tender enough to be pierced easily with the tip of a paring knife, about 30-35 minutes.

Remove the lid, and stir in the lemon juice. Taste for seasoning, and adjust as necessary. Let the pan simmer, uncovered, for a minute or two to thicken the cream to a glaze that loosely coats the sprouts.

Serve and enjoy.

Serves: 4 – 6