I hope you are all enjoying this holiday season! So this Thanksgiving I didn’t host. We went to my cousin Judy and Gary’s house in Connecticut. We had a ton of fun because Judy has 5 dogs and we also brought two of our own dogs. It was puppy city!
I was only in charge of one dish this year so I chose to make something that I could indulge in that other guests would also enjoy. So I came up with this seasonally appropriate “Harvest Salad” featuring a hearty Tahini Dressing, which I will also share as a separate recipe.
This salad is special and cold weather appropriate because it features both cooked and raw components. The Brussels Sprouts are roasted in a skillet and then folded into the raw kale. The kale is made softer by the heat of the Brussels Sprouts making it warm and easier to digest! To add a little color and sweetness I like to sprinkle in some fresh pomegranate seeds. These are in season, but come all the way from the middle east so they are definitely a special treat!
To add even more zest to this salad I included some chiffonade cilantro to the mix. The Tahini dressing is especially easy to digest since it is oil free, for those of you with liver issues or who are watching your weight. I think you will really enjoy this recipe since it is so fresh, warming and satisfying for these cold months when it becomes harder to sneak raw food into your diet.
On a side note, I love using the prepackaged organic kale from Organic Girl because it holds up well against the dressing and doesn’t get soggy right away. Making this salad perfect to take to gatherings since you can dress it before hand and still enjoy a salad that feels crispy and fresh!
I can’t wait to hear what you all think of this one!
Love,
Maren
Ingredients
- For the Brussels Sprouts
- 1 3 C Brussels Sprouts, chopped in food processor
- 2 T Cooking Oil
- 1 Lemon, juiced
- For the Salad
- 1 Box Baby Kale
- 1 Pomegranate, seeds and pyth separated (see notes)
- 2 Japanese Yams, roasted peeled and cubed
- 1 C Cilantro, chopped
- For the Dressing
- 1 C Tahini
- 1/4 C Maple Syrup (optional)
- 2 Cloves Garlic
- 1/3 Cup Lemon Juice
- 1 Tsp Sea Salt
- 1/4 Tsp Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat Oven to 400 Degrees. Wrap Yams in foil and roast until soft (1 hour). Peel and cut into one inch cubes.
- Emulsify Tahini, Maple Syrup, Garlic, Lemon Juice, Salt and Pepper in a blender.
- Warm Oil in skillet over medium heat. Add Brussels Sprouts, lemon juice and salt. Saute until Brussels Sprouts are soft and slightly charred (12 minutes). Remove from heat and set aside
- Combine Pomegranate seeds, Kale, Cilantro, Yams and dressing.
- Enjoy!