From Lauren: Today’s recipe for Brussels + Maple Paleo Sweet Potato Gnocchi is from Alexa at Simple Roots Wellness. Alexa shares beautiful recipes that prove real food can be practical, family-friendly and delicious.
Hey Everyone! I’m so excited to be guest posting here at Empowered Sustenance. My name is Alexa Schirm from Simple Roots Wellness and I have to say that I have long been a fan of Lauren and her mission to helping you all live healthier lives. That is also why I am so honored to be sharing one of my all-time favorite fall meals.
I’m a big believer that real, wholesome nutrition can do wonders for our body and more importantly that quality of the foods that we put in our body may be one of the top players in our health. Unfortunately we are a society so concerned with numbers and quantity rather than simply looking at the quality.
My goal is to make health simple. To take away the complexity by focusing on the basics, things that you can change today, things that don’t have to wait. To make nutrition and health realistic and enjoyable leaving you wanting it rather than constantly fighting it. To end the complexity and take you back to the basics of knowing how your body works and how we can work with it instead of against it. Again it all boils down to focusing on quality over quantity.
One quality group that so many of us skimp on is vegetables. Why yes, vegetables can be boring, bland and bitter but they can also be incredibly enticing if cooked properly. So I’m here to show you one amazing delicious way to devour a typically frowned upon veggie, Brussels Sprouts. Seriously divine, these brussels sprouts are fried in coconut oil with crisp bacon and drizzled in maple butter sauce.
One trick to Brussels Sprouts is to chop them up nice and fine. It prevents them from becoming soggy and keeps the flavor and texture even throughout. I usually always recommend pairing them with a little sweet and salty. That is why the bacon and maple butter sauce pair so nicely with this dish. But who are we kidding, I don’t know of anyone who has ever complained about bacon and butter.
If you want to take this recipe up a notch… or ten, try by adding the heavenly pillows of 3-ingredient sweet potato gnocchi on top. Comfort and health all on one plate. I’d say it doesn’t get much better than that! It is all about the realistic, delicious and simple way to do health. Enjoy!
- 6 cups brussels sprouts, trimmed, halved and very thinly sliced chopped
- ½ pound bacon, chopped
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil
- 1 batch paleo sweet potato gnocchi (made with sweet potato and arrowroot starch), recipe here
- 2 Tbsp butter or ghee
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
- ¼ cup dried cranberries (this brand is sweetened with apple juice, not sugar)
- 2 oz. goat cheese, crumbled (optional)
- 3 Tbsp butter or ghee
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup
- ¼ cup chopped pecans
- In a large skillet, fry bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove and drain. Set aside.
- In the same skillet over medium heat, add coconut oil. Once hot, add in brussels sprouts and cook until crisp. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and remove and place in a bowl. Toss with the bacon.
- In the same skillet, heat butter over medium heat. Add sweet potato gnocchi in batches cooking until crisp on all sides, rotating with tongs.
- Continue adding additional butter and gnocchi until all has been cooked.
- Add to brussels sprouts and bacon along with pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries and goat cheese crumbles.
- In a small saucepan, heat butter and maple syrup together. Add in pecans and pour over salad, mixing well.
About Alexa Schirm
Alexa Schirm is a busy mom of three girls and the author behind the site, Simple Roots Wellness. She received her bachelor’s degree in Dietetics from Iowa State University and is currently expanding her knowledge with a Masters in Health Studies from the University of Alabama always learning about a more natural approach to health. She has a strong passion to help others develop a new relationship with food creating a healthy lifestyle free of guilt, shame and deprivation. To fully immerse yourself in your health and love every part of that. She is found sharing her knowledge in easy, practical and delicious ways to achieve true and lasting health through simple tips and tricks. Come and see how she will help you sift through the nonsense and teach you to start eating to support health for life using real foods. Follow Alexa on Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram.
Terrific site. Is it possible to get the recipe for kale salad you recently posted. I had saved it on the computer but it disappeared. I made it and it was so good granddaughters ate it! Thanks
Can this be saved for Leftovers? Should part of dressing to use with serving leftovers?
I enjoy and learn each time I visit this site..Endless possibilities!
Oh i love gnocchi and hadn’t even thought of using sweet potato and tapioca ! Genius – thanks for sharing;) And just watch you in the bed program and you look great – hair not fuzzy at all just beautiful:)
Very nice article, i surely enjoy this site, keep on it