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A light Autumn Kale & Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad infused with crispy bacon, edamame, and a surprise sweet fruit that compliments the dish perfectly. Packed with nutrients – its the ultimate side dish this holiday season!
Since I’ve been working out I have really paying attention to my protein, carb, and fat intake. After all I want to make sure I can gain “true” muscle and one way to do that is optimize your diet. As I’ve been doing that I realized I am NOT eating enough protein during the day.
As in … about 1/8 of what I should be eating. I think sometimes we just get caught up in the numbers and calories of what we’re eating during the day and aren’t giving our bodies the nutrients it needs. We essentially starve our self of good food and honestly it hurts our bodies and our metabolism. So … eat .. but eat in moderation!
Ok, off my soap box.
Back to protein. I am aiming to have between 50-55 grams of protein per day, its on the higher end but I’m active. (if you’re sedentary you should be around 46 grams for a woman or 56 for a male) All that to say.. 55 grams is a lot of protein to have in one day! And for me, compared to the old way I use to eat it’s a lot and at times hard to find ways to find healthy forms of protein. Honestly I don’t feel like eating turkey all day to get my protein count… yuck!
Soybeans or Edamame are a great way to get that extra protein boost with 11 grams in just a 1/2 cup. Plus it’s loaded with fiber, which you kinda need to balance out all the protein. Throw them in a salad like I did here or cover them in seasoning and roast them for a mid day snack.
Today I decided to focus on ways that we can add protein to our fall menus. I KNOW you are going to fall in love this Autumn Kale & Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad!
Have you ever had a Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad before? If not you’re in for a treat! It’s incredible! In fact a lot of restaurant are putting it on their menus. Now, let’s talk facts a little bit. Even though it saves “shaved” you don’t really shave the brussels sprouts, they are actually very thinly sliced. The best way I have found to do this is cut them in half. Place the brussel sprouts on the cutting board flat side down and then slice them paper thin from the tip to the stem. Don’t ask me why they call it shaved, just go with it! Mkay? 🙂
The way it happens isn’t important, well maybe a little, but what really matters is that it tastes delicious! Everything tastes better when it’s chopped into really small pieces, that way you get a little bit of each ingredient in each bite! (that’s another one of my secret tricks, small uniform dices make a world of difference in the finished product)
The nutrients in this incredible Autumn Kale & Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad are like a secret agent working behind the scenes that you never knew was there. You feel kinda sneaky when you serve it because it’s so good, but people will have no idea how good it is for them. Muuahhahahaha (evil laugh)
This salad is perfect for the fall and a great way to get a side dish on table for the holidays. I know it will be a hit your family will fall in love with!
If you make it during the holidays I’d love for you to snap a pic and tag #joyfulhealthyeats on instagram, who knows you might get featured on my page! Wohoo!
Bon Appetite my friend and Happy Friday!
Autumn Kale & Brussel Sprout Salad
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 20 mins
- Yield: 6-8 1x
- Category: Side Dishes, Salad, Gluten Free, Holiday, Kid Friendly, Easy Dinner Recipes
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Description
An easy fall-inspired salad that’s packed with flavor and nutrients!
Ingredients
- 12 oz. bag brussels sprouts, halved and then thinly sliced
- 1 cup thinly sliced baby kale
- 1 cup edamame (soybeans)
- 1/2 cup dried cherries
- 1/3 cup chopped pecans
- 3 slices of bacon, diced
- 3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon raw honey
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a medium size skillet to medium high heat. Add the bacon to the pan and saute for 4-6 minutes until the bacon gets nice and crispy.
- Remove the bacon and let sit on a paper towel lined plate to soak up some of the grease. Set aside.
- To make the dressing: in a small bowl add the champagne vinegar, olive oil, dijon mustard, raw honey, salt, and pepper to taste. Whisk together. Set aside.
- In a large bowl add the shaved (thinly sliced) brussels sprouts, baby kale, edamame, dried cherries, chopped pecans, and bacon.
- Add the dressing and toss to combine everything. Serve!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 176
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 124 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 3 mg
Filed Under:
IF YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE, BE SURE TO SNAP A PIC AND HASHTAG IT #JOYFULHEALTHYEATS. I LOVE SEEING WHAT YOU MAKE!
Want More Holiday Recipes?
Creamy Butternut Squash Alfredo Pasta
Roasted Acorn Squash with Arugula Salad
Harvest Roasted Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad
