I love Brussels sprouts. It’s a new love. I never had these delicious baby cabbages until a few years ago! Hard to believe! My mom never served them, and I had the crazy notion in my head that I didn’t like them. Crazzzzzy! I now make them every week in some form. My new fav way of making them is to roast them with some Bragg’s Amino Acids, but I digress. Back to this salad! This salad is easy to make and lasts in the fridge for a bunch of days. The dressing is also great used as a regular salad dressing or as a marinade.
Brussels sprouts are a cruciferous veggie, like broccoli, cabbage, kale, turnips, and others. They are all great for reducing blood pressure and improving heart health, and should be eaten several times per week at least. They’re high in fiber and Vitamin C and they’re also fun to grow. I grew them for the first time last summer, and they were so much sweeter than the ones I buy in the store (this is however the case for all veggies from our garden).
Make the dressing before chopping everything, in fact you can make it a few days ahead. It keeps well. The chia seed will thicken the dressing as it sits. Chia seeds are a great thickener and provide an awesome source of omega-3 fatty acids, important in heart health. Other than the orange juice, the dates provide a natural source of sugar, are loaded with fiber, and add to the creaminess of the dressing. There’s a lot of Vitamin C in this recipe as well, making it rich in healing power. While there are no added oils in this recipe, there is a whole food form of fat in the pecans. The pecans add protein as well. If you wish to omit the pecans, you can. I love the sweetness and crunch they provide.
If you’re not familiar with julienne cuts, think matchstick size slices. The are long and thin, without falling apart.
Salad Ingredients:
- 2#s brussels sprouts-shredded
- 4 cups julieneed apples
- 2 cups julienned carrots
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 tbsp fresh orange zest
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
- additional salt/pepper to taste
Chipotle Dressing:
- 2 dates
- 1 1/2 cup orange juice
- 2 tbsp chia seed
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cloves garlic
- a few dashes of chipotle powder (to taste)
Instructions:
- Place all ingredients for dressing in blender, and blend. This dressing will thicken as it sits. If it gets too thick, simply add a little water to thin
- Shred Brussels sprouts in a food processor or chop by hand. I did a combination of food processor and hand, to give a mixed texture. All food processor shredded it too fine.
- Add remaining ingredients, and dress with chipotle dressing until desired amount is achieved. Add a little dressing at a time, as to not over do it.
- Extra dressing lasts well in the fridge and is perfect on top of traditional salads or as a marinade.
- Also great when served with my Springtime Quinoa Salad on top of marinated mushrooms. Also shown-Sweet Potato Tzimmis
Nutritional Benefits: Note-if desired, omit nuts for a lower calories, lower fat salad, information is calculated as written using 3/4 of the dressing.
- Packed with fiber, 9 g!-excellent for reducing cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure, and digestive health. Increases satiety
- High in Vitamin C, 207%-antioxidant that boosts immune health and reduces inflammation
- High in Vitamin A-100%, great for hair, skin, eyes, teeth, bones, helps to decrease inflammation
- No cholesterol, oil free-great for heart health
- Plant-based, gluten free-reduces inflammation in the body
- No refined sugars
- Good source of plant-based protein, 6.5 g
- Excellent source of potassium-important for reducing blood pressure, kidney and nervous system function
- 2#s brussels sprouts-shredded
- 4 cups julieneed apples
- 2 cups julienned carrots
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 tbsp fresh orange zest
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, minced
- additional salt/pepper to taste
- 2 dates
- 1½ cup orange juice
- 2 tbsp chia seed
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cloves garlic
- a few dashes of chipotle powder (to taste)
- Place all ingredients for dressing in blender, and blend. This dressing will thicken as it sits. If it gets too thick, simply add a little water to thin
- Shred Brussels sprouts in a food processor or chop by hand. I did a combination of food processor and hand, to give a mixed texture. All food processor shredded it too fine.
- Add remaining ingredients, and dress with chipotle dressing until desired amount is achieved. Add a little dressing at a time, as to not over do it.
- Extra dressing lasts well in the fridge and is perfect on top of traditional salads or as a marinade.
What does 2#s mean for the brussel sprouts?
Means 2 pounds-sorry Yvonne!