The deliciousness of this salad took me by surprise…

A couple of years back, Brian and I were in Sun Valley for the weekend. I was SO excited. We stayed at the Sun Valley Lodge and ended up having lunch at their restaurant each day because of a crunchy, creamy, sweet, winter salad that was, still to this day, one of the best salads I’ve ever eaten. They also have incredible pastries which we definitely overdid. YOLO.

The other day I got an intense craving for this beauty of a salad so I quickly went to the store, grabbed some Brussels sprouts and raw pecans and did my best to recreate it. I was shocked (and proud) at how good the salad turned out, how easy it was, and how similar it tasted to the original that I hadn’t had in over two years.

I’m mildly embarrassed to call this thing a recipe because it has only four salad ingredients + a homemade dressing. Once you get the Brussels sprouts washed and shredded, it is as easy to put together as any recipe you will find. The dressing is a basic dressing that is a little creamy, sweet, and has a hint of a tang that is good with nearly any salad you create. Hold onto it because it comes together quickly and you might just want to use it over and over again.

Health Benefits

The true health star of this recipe is the Brussels sprouts. This cruciferous veggie has a nice dose of fiber and so many nutrients including iron, folate, calcium and vitamin C, A, and K. They are also full of antioxidants, helping to minimize oxidative stress and chronic diseases. A couple of other standouts are pecans, a nice heart healthy dose of fat and another boost of fiber, and lemon juice, supporting digestion, detoxifying, and a dose of vitamin C to boost immunity.

This is the perfect salad to meal prep for the week as the Brussels sprout shreds are nice and sturdy and will hold up well in the fridge.

Let me know if you give this a try, and as always, tag me in a pic of your meal on social media!

Happy shredding!

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Shaved Brussels Sprouts Winter Salad

Makes 2 servings, takes about 10 minutes

Salad Ingredients:

• 10-12 Brussels sprouts
• 1/3 cup raw pecans
• 1-2 oz sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 1/4 inch chunks
• 1/3 cup craisins or raisins

Dressing

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons raw honey
• juice of half a lemon
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• pinch of red pepper flakes

Directions

1. Turn oven to 350 degrees. Place pecans on a baking sheet and toast for a few minutes. (In my oven, I put them in right when I turn the oven on. By the time it reaches 350 degrees, I take them out and they are toasted. Your oven might be different so keep an eye on them.) Remove and set aside.
2. While nuts are toasting, wash and remove the outer layer leaves of the Brussels sprouts. “Shave” them by slicing them nice and thin. Place in bowls.
3. Top the sprouts with toasted nuts, cheddar cheese, and craisins.
4. Whisk together the dressing ingredients (or put them all in a jar with a lid and shake) and pour onto the salad. Toss and serve!

Naturally gluten-free and vegetarian.

Meal Prepping Tip: Make a large batch of this and portion out the salad ingredients into containers for the week. Place the dressing in a sealed jar in the fridge for the week. When ready to eat, toss the salad with a portion of the dressing and enjoy! You could also toss the salad in the morning so it’s ready for lunch. The sprouts will hold up fine and won’t become soggy.