Shredded Brussels Sprouts, Kale, and Quinoa Salad with Toasted Hazelnuts

For my bridal shower last summer, my best friend and maid of honor Slesh put together a recipe book as a gift for me and Tim. She had everyone submit their favorite recipes, and then she organized it into a book called Recipes with Love. I often flip through it and use it as inspiration in the kitchen!

I’d say the recipe I’ve made the most so far from this cookbook is one that my friend Dawn submitted for a Brussels sprouts and kale salad. Maybe that sounds boring, but it is one of my favorite lunches to make ahead for the week! You guys may even recognize this one from social media. Over time, I’ve adapted it a bit, and today I want to share my adapted version with you.

Shredded Brussels Sprouts, Kale, and Quinoa Salad with Toasted Hazelnuts

Serves 5 as a main or 8 as a side

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa
2 small-medium bunches or 1 large bunch kale
2 1bs Brussels sprouts
1/4 cup diced shallot
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup grapeseed or extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
3/4 cup hazelnuts, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cut the bottoms of the Brussels sprouts and slice them in half. Toss with a little extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper on a baking sheet, and cook in the oven for fifteen minutes. Toss on the baking sheet and then continue cooking for another ten minutes or so until they are fork tender. Once done, slice thinly for a shredded look.
Put the 1 cup of quinoa in 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, then set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the diced shallot, red wine vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
Remove the stems from the kale. Rinse and dry the leaves, then chop or shred into small pieces. Place in a large bowl, then pour the dressing mixture from step two over the kale and massage with your hands until wilted.
Place the hazelnuts in a pan over medium heat, and toss for a few minutes until they become fragrant. Be careful not to burn them!
Once the Brussels sprouts have finished cooking, add them along with the cooked quinoa to the kale and toss all the ingredients together. Top with the toasted hazelnuts, and enjoy!

This salad is chock full of greens, but I love that it doesn’t taste bland. In my last blog post, I shared six strategies for making healthy stuff taste good that I call The Spruce Method, and one of my recommendations is to up the acid. In this salad, the red wine vinegar in the dressing is what adds an acidic component and cuts any bitterness right out of the kale. I also think that the hazelnuts bring this awesome earthy crunch to the otherwise very fresh tasting dish. If you have a nut allergy, try some toasted sunflower seeds as a replacement!

The quinoa adds a protein source, but sometimes I’ll add some shredded chicken or some edamame to up the staying power of this dish even more. You can definitely play with the ingredients to make it your own.

If you give this one a try, post it on social media with #achieveawesome and #sprucemethod, and don’t forget to tag me so I can see it. Hope you love it!