roasted brussel sprout quinoa bites stuffed with gruyere

I can’t get enough of these little truckers.

The obsession is strong.

What is it about brussel sprouts that gets me all hot and bothered? Don’t answer that. But honestly, brussel sprouts are the new kale. GASP. Wait. Has this already happened? I swear I am always late to the veggie trend garden party.

Anyways, I have been on a serious Chuck Norris brussel sprout kick lately. I’ve put them in egg sandwiches for your weekend brunch festivities. I’ve served them up with some sexy pasta because we all need a little more balance in our lives. But after whipping up these two dishes, I didn’t realize that brussel sprouts are in season, yo.

Do what, you ask? I didn’t know either until my friend, Becky, author of The Vintage Mixer, put out her Eat Seasonal Guide for March. You could imagine my excitement when I found brussel sprouts were listed among the veggies in season. I felt like I was #trending.

So, to add to my already sexy list of brussel sprout dishes, these quinoa bites are just the thing I needed to keep my obsession going. Because using the word obsession with a green vegetable in the sentence is healthy, right? Plus, these have burrata oozing from the middle. Can we please celebrate with a Chuck Norris high kick? Too much? Never.

Seasonal Eating Series:

My talented and fantastic friend, Becky, author of The Vintage Mixer, and her husband Josh, are showing us that eating seasonally can be fun! Each month they will provide a Seasonal Produce Guide, which you can save on your iPhone or desktop so you can get in the seasonal eating spirit.

Not only do they provide a beautiful illustration each month like the one above, you can also join me and a few fabulous food bloggers who are serving up seasonally inspired recipes. Follow us on Instagram and tag your photos with the #eatseasonal hashtag!

Aimee from Simple Bites
Kelsey from Happyolks
Molly from My Name is Yeh
Kate from Cookie and Kate
Erin from Naturally Ella
Lindsay from Cafe Johnsonia
Lauren from Lauren’s Latest

Print Recipe

Roasted Brussel Sprout Quinoa Bites stuffed with Gruyere

Yield: Makes about 12 to 15 bites

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

3 cups brussel sprouts, sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 cups quinoa, cooked
1 cup northern beans, mashed
1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup mozzarella, grated
1 cup gruyere
1 cup buttermilk
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Place brussel sprouts on baking sheet. Drizzle tops with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and s&p to taste. Roast for about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Once cooled, finely chop brussel sprouts, place in a small bowl, and set aside

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine quinoa, beans, 1/2 cup panko, 1 egg (beaten), brussel sprouts, 1/2 cup mozzarella, and s&p. Make sure everything is combined and form into 20 to 25 balls. Place them in the fridge to chill before baking.

Turn the temp of the oven to 475 degrees. Remove balls from fridge, flatten the ball slightly with your thumb, and place about a 1.5 teaspoon of gruyere into the center. Form the quinoa into a ball and place on plate. Repeat until all the balls have been filled with gruyere.

In a shallow dish, place remaining panko, mozzarella, and s&p. Stir to combine. In another dish, add the remaining beaten eggs and buttermilk. Dredge the quinoa balls into the egg mixture, shaking off any extra drippings and then into the bread mixture. Place balls on baking sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Repeat until all the balls have been covered. Bake for about 10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately!

recipe adapted from Half Baked Harvest

All images and text ©Lauren Grier for The Curious Plate