Cheesy Bacon Brussle Sprout Casserole

 Brussel Sprouts are something that I'm just coming to appreciate in my adult life. Growing up, it was one of the few veggies that we never had in my house. My mom "hated" them and thus never made them. I say "hated" because, by her own admission, she only had them once and they were whole and incredibly overcooked. Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, bok choy and brussel sprouts are all commonly used cruciferous vegetables. These are veggies where cooking causes cellular breakdown, releasing a chemical called phenylthiocarbamide (also known as PTC), an organo-sulfuric compound. This is responsible for not only the "fart" smell many complain about when cooking cruciferous veggies, but also causes digestive gas build up in many people as well. The compound is present even before cooking, but is released in much higher concentrations when cooked. By the way, if you reach the "fart" smell stage when cooking these vegetables, you've already overcooked them.

Anywho, brussel sprouts are quickly becoming one of my favorite vegetables post-op. They are low carb and extremely versatile. You can serve them simply sauteed with some butter and seasonings, or add them to a stir fry, or make them into an ooey-gooey casserole of goodness. Admittedly, if you have issues with intestinal gas, you might wanna keep servings of cruciferous vegetables to a minimum. In regards to surgery, these are one of the vegetables that you want to keep away from for a good 6 months post-op. This isn't professional advice, just advice from someone who's gone through it. Broccoli is quite literally my favorite food. I blended some into a ricotta bake when I hit the puree stage. I was so excited to have broccoli for the first time in at least 2 months. I only ate 2oz of the bake, and it didn't really bother me. The next day, I had it for lunch AND dinner and oh boy did I pay for it around bedtime. Gas pain like WHOA! So the whole 6 month or more out from surgery thing is just a suggestion, not a concrete.

This recipe is meant more as a side dish, but can easily be made into a meal with the addition of some lean protein of your choice. I would personally suggest shredded chicken breast, lean poultry sausage or possibly some lean ground beef. For a vegetarian option, you could easily blend some silken tofu (the stuff with the added protein is best) into the egg and cream mixture.

 Cheesy Bacon Brussle Sprout Casserole

 Now onto the recipe itself:

• 1 pinch salt
• 2 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup celery, chopped
• 32 oz shaved brussels sprouts
• 1 cup egg substitute
• 1 Tbsp Kerry Gold salted butter
• 1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped

• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 6 oz heavy whippingcream
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 6 slices microwave ready bacon, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Add butter to a large skillet, and heat over medium heat.  Add onions, celery, bacon and salt.  Saute, stirring occasionally, about 5-8 minutes or until vegetables have turned translucent.
3. Add brussel sprouts and garlic and continue cooking, stirring occasionally for another 8-10 minutes.
4. Turn off heat and set aside while you mix the rest of the ingredients.
5. In a large bowl, combine heavy whipping cream, egg substitute and smoked paprika and whisk until well mixed.
6. Add brussel sprouts mixture into a greased 9x11 baking pan. Pour egg and cream mixture over the top, equally distributing over the entire surface.
7. Top with cheese and place in oven for 40-45 minutes or until custard is set, the whole thing is nice and bubbly and the top is pleasingly browned.