Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad

Who knew Brussels sprouts tasted good in their raw form? This shaved Brussels sprouts salad is filled with apples, pomegranates, walnuts, and poppy seeds and surprisingly tastes better the next day. This is a sneak peek recipe from the Real Food First Winter Edition program – be sure to check it out if you want to start cooking delicious and healthy food this year!  

Brussels sprouts used to be my least favorite food. In elementary school, we wrote our own version of Alexander and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day and included in mine was a page on how my mom made me eat steamed Brussels sprouts with my dinner. Man, I hated them.

I will say that still to this day, I hate steamed Brussels sprouts. It’s so sad that they were cooked this way for so long because they have so much potential in every other way besides steaming. I first discovered their wonders in a warm Brussels sprouts salad that was (and probably still is) on the menu of the restaurant I worked at in college (order it at Pizza Antica if you live in the bay area!). I took a hesitant bite and was so happily surprised by what I tasted that I decided I could give Brussels sprouts a fresh start.

Since my eyes have been opened to the wonders of Brussels sprouts, I found out they can also be eaten raw. And I actually quite like how they taste raw! So, I created a fun raw winter salad – a shaved Brussels sprouts salad – and the best part is that it actually tastes better the next day after sitting in the dressing, instead of a looking like a limp pile of soggy greens.

So unlike other salads, you can make it, dress it, and eat it a few days in a row without worrying about it. 

If you are hesitant because you are a Brussels sprouts hater too, just know that this will be part of my new book, Caitlin and the wonderful, awesome, totally delicious, very good day!

Want more recipes like this? Let me help you make this year your healthiest and most delicious yet. Check out the Real Food First program for more details. 

Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad

• 3 cups // 300 grams Brussels sprouts
• 1 apple, cored and finely diced
• 4 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
• 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts (toasted is optional)

Dressing:

• ¼ cup // 65 mL extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• Juice from ½ lemon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon fresh black pepper

Chop off the ends of the Brussels sprouts, take off any bad leaves, then shred the Brussels sprouts in a food processor or by hand.

In a small bowl, stir together all the dressing ingredients.

Combine the shaved Brussels sprouts, pomegranate, apples, and dressing together. Add the walnuts when ready to serve.