02/15

A Brussels Sprout Salad Recipe You Will LOVE

If you haven’t jumped on the Brussels sprouts bandwagon yet, I implore you to give them a fair chance.  Could it have been that mushy texture or yucky smell you were tortured by when Brussels sprouts were piled on your plate as a kid?  Believe it or not, that awful odor is called glucosinolate sinigrin, an organic compound containing sulfur that occurs when Brussels are overcooked.  No wonder everybody hated stinky Brussels sprouts when we were growing up!!  Over the last few years things have completely changed and Brussels sprouts have gone from being everybody’s least favorite vegetable to the hot and trendy ingredient for many restaurants and chefs the world over.  With talented chefs working magic on this previously villianized veg, Brussels sprouts have gone from yuck to yummy.

Move over kale … Brussels sprouts want a turn!  

Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love kale but there is plenty of room for another veggie friend on our plates.  Brussels sprouts actually come from the same cruciferous vegetable family as kale.  Loaded with disease fighting phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals and fiber, Brussels sprouts are said to help lower your cholesterol, cancer risk, and may also protect from cardiovascular disease.  But with all that “good for you” stuff, does that mean it HAS to taste bad?  Absolutely not!!  It doesn’t even require complicated preparations for them to turn out delicious.  One of my favorite ways to prepare them is simply tossing in a bit of olive oil and seasoning with salt and pepper and roasting in the oven at 400 for 35-40 minutes.  Couldn’t be easier!

What makes this salad recipe extra special is the amount of apples it uses. You are going to love how crisp, fresh, and yummy this salad tastes.  If you want a little extra crunch, add a half-cup of sliced almonds or walnuts.

Brussels Sprout and Apple Salad

• 2 large crisp and sweet apples (like Gala, Fuji, Envy or Pacific Rose)
• ½ cup dried cherries
• 4 radishes thinly sliced
• 15 large Brussels sprouts (approximately 3 cups rough chopped)
• Juice of 1 lemon

Slice bottom off Brussels sprouts and then rough chop into thin slaw looking pieces.  Place Brussels sprouts in large salad bowl.  Core and dice apples leaving the skin on.  Place apples in a shallow dish and toss with lemon juice.  Set apples aside.  Chop cherries and place in salad bowl along with thinly sliced radishes.   Add apples and salad dressing (recipe below) to salad and toss just before serving.

Blue Honey Vinaigrette

• 4 Tablespoons honey
• 3 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• ¾ Cup blue cheese
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ¼ cup grapeseed oil

Whisk together everything except for the grapeseed oil.  Whisk ingredients until all items are incorporated and the blue cheese is broken up. Slowly adding oil last into your mixture.