Brussels sprouts with bacon

Take Your 100 Calorie Snack Packs and Shove It, Nabisco

15 Brussels sprouts or so
2 strips good, thick cut bacon
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt & pepper to taste
Lemon

Slice the sprouts very thinly using the slicing disc of a food processor or with a sharp knife.

Cook the bacon in a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. When done, remove bacon and pour off almost all the fat; chop bacon. Put the pan back on the heat, add the sprouts and garlic to the pan, salt & pepper, gently toss, and cover. Cook, removing lid to stir gently every minute or so, about 5 minutes.

Remove lid, add bacon, stir. Taste sprouts for doneness (they should be crisp-tender) and seasoning. Squeeze a bit of lemon over and serve.

2 generous servings
90 calories per serving

Brussels sprouts & apple salad

1 lb tiny Brussels sprouts
1 medium-to-large apple (Fuji, Pink Lady, etc.)

2 T good mustard (Dijon, stoneground, etc)
1 T olive oil
2 T red wine vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon, well reamed

Salt & pepper to taste (lots)

Make this recipe only if you can get first-of-the-season, small, teeny-tiny, tender Brussels sprouts. Older ones will be too tough. You could also make this with very finely shredded green, red, or Napa cabbage.

In a jar with a tight-fitting lid or a bowl, combine all ingredients except the sprouts and apple. Shake or mix until well combined.

Trim stem ends of sprouts and slice very thinly; place in large bowl. Quarter apple lengthwise and cut out the core; slice each quarter very thinly, crosswise, and transfer to the bowl. If you have a food processor with a thin slicing blade, you can use it to speed the process.

Mix or shake the dressing thoroughly again. Pour over shredded sprouts and apple and gently toss until evenly coated. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Put the bowl in the fridge and let it sit for an hour or two to let the salt and acid tenderize the sprouts a bit.

4 servings
85 calories per serving

This salad would also be great with shaved fennel in place of the sprouts, or with a firm pear instead of the apple. To make a light meal out of it, add some shaved parmesan or aged gouda and some toasted nuts (pecans, almonds, hazelnuts, or pinenuts). Cheese and/or nuts will add significantly to the calorie count. Finely sliced scallions or sweet onions would not be amiss here, either.

Beets with dill

This is very easy, and if you like beets, very, very good.

5 medium beets, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick
2 t canola or olive oil (optional)
1 T red wine vinegar
2 or 3 T chopped fresh dill
Salt & pepper to taste

Arrange the beets in a single layer on an aluminum foil-lined cookie sheet. Cover with foil and roast the beets at 375°F until cooked through, about 20 minutes. If it is too damn hot to use the oven, like it is in August, steam them in a steamer on the stove top for about 10 minutes.

Place cooked beets in a bowl with dill, oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Gently toss. Serve cold or at room temperature.

4 servings
60 calories per serving

*Also good sprinkled with feta cheese. 50 calorie increase per 1/8 cup of cheese.