Kale and Brussel Sprout Salad with Maple Tahini Dressing
This delicious salad is perfect for when you want to feel healthy but still want a lot of flavor. Topped with warm bacon, toasted almonds and melty parmesan, this salad is everything.
Ingredients
- 1 bunch of kale
- 1 bunch of brussel sprouts shredded
- 8 oz parmesan
- 8 strips bacon
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- 3/4 cup tahini
- 3/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1 tbsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Put the bacon on a wire rack with a sheet pan below to catch the drippings and cook 15-20 minutes. The crispier the better for this recipe.
- While the bacon is cooking, make the salad. I start my chopping the kale. I like to roll all of the leaves together and then julienne them so they come out like nice long strips. Throw all of the kale in a bowl and massage the kale for about 2-3 minutes until it’s wilted. Yes, massage the kale. This makes a world of a difference. You will notice that the kale started to turn a dark green color and smell more citrusy. That means it’s getting tastier.
- Next, if you did not buy pre-shredded brussel sprouts, slice them. I use my food processor, but if you don’t have one, you can do this with a knife. Just make sure you trim off the stems first. Place in the bowl with the kale and add in the parmesan cheese. Once bacon is done cooking, let cool and chop. Add the chopped bacon to the bowl as well.
- Meanwhile, on a pan placed over medium heat, put your sesame oil and almonds and watch over them as you toast them. It should only take about 2-3 minutes. Make sure to keep an eye out, once they toast, they burn quickly after that. Mix into the bowl with the greens.
- Finally, in a glass measuring cup, mix the tahini, maple syrup, olive oil, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Depending on the tahini you use, if the dressing is too thick, mix in 1/4 cup hot water. Once combined, pour over salad and mix.
- This salad is best when it is first mixed, when the bacon and almonds are still warm and all the different temperatures, textures and flavors come together. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 968kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 77g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 1030mg | Potassium: 625mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 738IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 642mg | Iron: 4mg