Happy Wednesday, my dears! Today is monumental because I’m actually posting a recipe for you guys. It’s the first recipe of the year—and also the first since mid-November. I’m ashamed. 🙁

My shame aside, do you remember that salad I talked about at Thanksgiving? Well, I discovered a few (bad) photos on my camera, and since my meals yesterday weren’t quite where they needed to be vegetable consumption-wise, I thought I’d supplement by sharing a veggie-centric dish instead.

This salad is beyond easy—and it’s quite customizable. Don’t have a pomegranate lying around? Toss in some dried cherries or cranberries! If you have a nut allergy or don’t like pistachios and walnuts, feel free to use sunflower or pumpkin seeds. Likewise, any simple vinaigrette (bottled or homemade) will work as a dressing.

Shredded Kale, Brussels Sprouts, Pomegranate, Pistachio, and Walnut Salad

serves 8-10 as part of a large spread; 4-6 as a more substantial side

Ingredients

• 1 lb raw Brussels sprouts, washed and trimmed
• 3-4 large kale leaves (enough to yield 3 loosely packed cups of shredded/chopped kale)
• ¾ to 1 cup pomegranate arils
• 1/3 cup chopped pistachios (I used salted because that’s what I had on hand)
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts (I used raw, but toasted would be nice)
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 ½ – 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 – 1 ½ tsp maple syrup
• salt + pepper to taste

Directions

1. Using a knife, grater, or food processor, finely shred the Brussels sprouts and kale and add to a large bowl (we used a knife, so calling this a “chopped” rather than “shaved” salad may be more accurate—but I was going for the consistency of slaw).
2. To the bowl, add the pomegranate arils, chopped pistachios, and chopped walnuts.
3. In a small jar or bowl, add the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, syrup, salt, and pepper, shaking or whisking vigorously until well combined.
4. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss till well-coated (you may even want to use your hands to massage the dressing into the greens).
5. Allow to sit for an hour or two so the vegetables wilt/soften. Leftovers store in the refrigerator a couple of days.

Note: the dressing I used is from this salad created by Choosing Raw.

And since there’s a link-up party going on, let’s now take a look at What I Ate Wednesday Tuesday.

Breakfast: vanilla Greek yogurt with chopped pecans, chia seeds, granola, and a spoonful of peanut butter

Lunch: leftover whole wheat penne with marinara, hummus and carrots on the side

Afternoon Snack: a cup of Get Happy tea (yeah—I need a boost in my mood sometimes!) and the trusty banana (+ another spoonful of peanut butter)

Dinner: mixed greens salad (with Parmesan and balsamic vinaigrette) and 2 fried eggs + a tangerine (with way too many seeds!)

Head over to Peas and Crayons for more WIAW fun. Till next time…