Happy New Year! We have all been struggling with a pretty serious cold at our house. First, Grace started feeling sick. On New Years Eve, after throwing up a few too many times, I took her to the doctor to find out that she had a bad cold that had settled in her chest and she had two ear infections. As soon as we left the parking lot, I started to feel congested, too. I can’t say I’m that surprised. When a snotty baby sticks her hands in your mouth all the time, it is pretty much a miracle if you come out on the other side without contracting his or her illness. Even Andrew the H is coughing. She is a sneaky one with those snotty hands!
It’s not pretty over here and while it looks like we are all finally on the mend, I have been loading up of vitamin-packed food like crazy. I haven’t eaten this many clementines since I was pregnant, and I’ve even guilted Andrew the H into making his daily superfood smoothies again. And because kale is a vitamin powerhouse, we have been eating it at almost every meal. Smoothies for breakfast, salads for lunch, and snuck into pasta or soups for dinner.
Did you know that kale has more than 200% of the daily value of vitamin A, more than 130% vitamin C, and a whopping 600% of vitamin K? It is also rich in calcium and has tons of fiber. Oh, and it is delicious.
If you are new to kale (where have you been? no, really where?), this is a great beginner salad. And even if you are a kale lover, this is a great salad. You could also make this with kale only if that is how you roll. The food processor really makes putting this dish together a snap plus it keeps in the fridge for days without losing any flavor or crispness. A salad that you can make in advance and it tastes even better? Yes, please.
Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad
Inspired by Nancy Fuller
{Serves 6-8}
1 lb brussels sprouts
1 bunch of lacinto or dinosaur kale, thick middle stem removed
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
1 cup freshly grated parmesan reggiano cheese
Dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon good quality dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
Freshly ground pepper
Wash and remove ends of brussels sprouts and any leaves that look wilted. Cut in half. The easiest method is to use the slicing disk on your food processor to shred the kale and brussels sprouts. Place the brussels sprouts in the feed tube, and shred. I place my slicing disk on a level 3 or 4. Next, shred the kale using the same method. Transfer to a large bowl.
If you don’t have a food processor, thinly slice the brussels and kale.
To prepare the dressing, mix the oil, lemon juice and zest, mustard, garlic, shallots, salt, and pepper. Shake or whisk well to incorporate. Pour dressing over kale and brussels sporuts and mix well. The easiest way to do this is with your hands. Massage dressing into kale and brussels until everything is coated well. Add pine nuts and parmesan and toss again. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let salad sit for 20-30 minutes before serving.
Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
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