Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

Ingredients

• 1 lb of Brussels sprouts
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1–2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1–2 Tbsp olive oil
• 5–10 slices of pancetta or bacon
• fresh ground pepper, to taste
• toasted pumpkin seeds

Equipment

• paring knife
• vegetable steamer
• large sauté pan
• paper towels for draining the bacon

Here is how:

1. Wash sprouts and peel off any loose leaves. Place sprouts in top part of steamer and steam until just cooked (approximately 10 minutes). When done, rinse with cold water.
2. Immediately squeeze lemon juice over top. Note: this can be done up to a day ahead to free up stove space and save time!
3. Before proceeding to the next step, cut each sprout into either halves or quarters. The smaller the pieces, the more kid-friendly they are!
4. Very lightly coat the bottom of a large sauté pan with olive oil. Cut bacon into strips or chunks. Slowly cook until soft and done, but not overly crispy.
5. When the bacon is done, remove and place on paper towel to drain. Pour off any excess grease at bottom of pan.
6. Add garlic to pan. When slighly soft, add sprouts, remaining oil and pepper to taste. Heat through. Add bacon back to pan. Sprinkle roasted pumpkin seeds on top.
7. Toss and serve.