This healthy, festive salad—gussied up here with dried cranberries and garbanzo beans—is packed with antioxidants, beneficial ingredients, and flavor.
I once saw a magazine ad where a woman was saying something like, "Is it weird to have a daydream about salad dressing?" which at the time I
did think was a little weird. But then one night I found myself telling
my hunky farmguy Joe that I couldn't wait to go to sleep so I could wake up and have leftover brussels sprouts salad for breakfast.
Not being a brussels sprouts fan himself, this announcement was met with a worried look and probably an eye roll (it was dark), which was fine, because I wasn't planning on sharing my leftover salad with him anyway.
I love this salad even more than I love my
Quick Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Lemon and Parmesan, and you know I love them a
lot. I created it back in 2009 and have been devouring it for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks ever since. My recipe notes from 4/15/09 say I mixed up that batch at midnight. You've been warned.
Raw brussels sprouts have a wonderful taste; it's as if the flavor from an entire regular size cabbage has been concentrated down into each little sprout. And of course they're extremely good for you. It's always nice to be crazy about something that's heavenly and healthy.
The brussels sprouts for this salad are quickly shredded in the food processor—thus rendering them unidentifiable by confirmed brussels sprouts haters—and the tangy dressing, which is whizzed up in the blender, can be made several days ahead. I usually make a double batch of dressing to keep on hand for tossing together last minute salads. Try it drizzled over arugula and cherry tomatoes or tossed with thinly sliced raw kale.
This would be a festive, last minute addition to your holiday table, but if one of your goals for the new year is to up your intake of cruciferous vegetables, it would also be a delicious way to usher in the new year. Raw brussels sprouts at midnight, anyone?
