I love brussels sprouts.
Guess I’m strange that way. I was the kind of kid who liked eating my vegetables (my mom was lucky!). But I didn’t learn to like brussels sprouts until I was an adult. The first dish I can remember was boiled brussels sprouts, steaming away in a cafeteria chafing dish. Cooked like that, I know why they have such a bad reputation. They smell funky and they taste watery and bland. But it doesn’t have to be that way! Brussels sprouts have become very popular in restaurants these days. Deep fried, sauteed with bacon, glazed with balsamic vinegar and made into a slaw. There are so many good ways to eat them! But my newest favorite is in a salad.
Brussels sprouts are part of the brassicaceae family, which include cabbage, collard greens, broccoli, cauliflower, arugula, and bok choy. Yum! I love all those. This recipe takes this tiny version of a cabbage, pairs it with kale and a zippy dressing, and tops it off with crushed almonds. It’s fresh, tangy and delicious. So let’s get to it!
This recipe is based on a kale and sprouts salad from pinchandswirl.com.
Ingredients
Dressing
3 tbsp mayonnaise or vegan mayo if you prefer
1/2 minced shallot
2 teaspoons smooth dijon mustard
Juice of one lemon
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salad
8 ounces of brussels sprouts
Lacinto (dinosaur) kale
2 ounces shredded parmaggiano-reggiano cheese
1 ounce toasted salted almonds, coarsely chopped
Instructions
Cut the tough ends off the brussels sprouts and strip the kale leaves off the stems.
Shred the kale and sprouts with a food processor with the slicing blade. You also can do it with a sharp knife if you don’t have a food processor.
Prepare the dressing in the bottom of a large bowl.
Whisk together the mayo, shallots, mustard, olive oil, lemon juice and add salt and pepper to taste.
Toss the vegetables and half the cheese in the dressing and top with the rest of the cheese and the almonds.
Enjoy!
What vegetables do you love? What’s your favorite way to prepare them? Please share in the comments below!