Brussels Sprout & Kale Slaw with Maple-Cider Vinaigrette

My thirst for brussels sprouts shall never be quenched!

This salad is surprisingly hearty, with the crunchy and chewy sprouts and given a boost from the walnuts. I will say that I was a little nervous about this salad, since to me brussels sprouts are one of those things that always need cooked in order to be eaten. But overall it was delicious, filling, and super healthy!

Shred up your brussels sprouts—this can be done in a food processor with attachment, by hand, or you can just buy them like I do from Trader Joes.

The original recipe called for radicchio, which I did buy…and then didn’t get around to making this for a full week, so it was gross. Instead, I’d picked up some lovely organic purple kale at the store, so I shredded that up and added it to the salad for color and texture.

Toast your walnut pieces in a pan for 4-5 minutes, making sure they don’t burn. Add those and the chopped cranberries to the salad.

Whisk together the dressing ingredients. You can measure the olive oil directly in the cup measure, then add the rest.

Toss the dressing with the salad, making sure everything gets coated. Now, I recommend chilling for a while. That’s just me. Also, the original recipe says that it’s really best that day, but honestly I think it’s maybe best the second day—the dressing has had time to soften the sprouts and kale up a little, which helps with any potential hint of bitterness.

Devour!

Brussels Sprout Slaw with Maple-Cider Vinaigrette

1 pound of Brussels sprouts
1 small head of radicchio or kale (preferably lacinato or purple)
Heaping 1/2 cup of dried cranberries
Scant 1 cup of toasted walnuts
1/3 cup of olive oil
3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons of quality maple syrup
2 tablespoons of dijon mustard
Pinch of salt

Wash and trim the sprouts. Finely shred them in a food processor fitted with a shredding attachment, or by hand with a sharp knife (or be lazy like me and buy them shredded at Trader Joe’s).
Wash, quarter, and core the radicchio (or wash and dry the kale and remove the stems). Finely shred it as well. Combine with the sprouts.
Toast the walnuts over medium heat for a few minutes until you can smell their aroma—don’t let them burn! Let cool for a minute and then give them a rough chop. Roughly chop the cranberries as well. Add both to the salad.
Whisk together the dressing ingredients and toss with the salad. I ate some right away and chilled the rest, and actually liked it better the second day. It should keep in the fridge for 3-4 days, then starts to get a little soggy.

Original recipe here