Simple, nutritious and incredibly tasty, this Massaged Kale and Brussels Sprout Slaw with Maple Tahini Dressing is ideal as a holiday side dish, or any time your body needs a boost of greens! Vegan, paleo, gluten free and anti-inflammatory.
Ready to make one of the easiest, peasiest, tastiest and nutritious dishes you’ve ever made?
For those of us living in the US, today is Thanksgiving and (from what I’ve observed), one of the most largely-celebrated holidays of the year. For some it means family, for others it’s Friendsgiving, and for some, it’s a whooooole lot of football. No matter how you’re celebrating, I’m willing to bet there’s food involved.
The Massaged Kale and Brussels Sprout Slaw I’ve got for you today was created to overcome several Thanksgiving Day obstacles:
- You’re out of space in the oven
- You run out of time to cook before your guests arrive
- You have a menu full of traditional Thanksgiving staples, but they’re all looking very beige (I’m looking at you, turkey, gravy, stuffing rolls, and mashed potatoes)
- You’re tired of cleaning, cooking, grocery runs, being on your feet, entertaining, traveling, driving, making small talk with your uncle, and and and…
…and I get it. That’s why……
…it’s green things to the rescue!!
Specifically Brussels sprouts and kale, shredded into tiny bits, massaged to soften them up, tossed in sweet maple tahini dressing, and smattered with pumpkin seeds and hemp seeds for extra crunch. And here’s why it’s so great:
- Ready in 20 mins or less
- Doesn’t require space in your oven
- Doesn’t require standing over a hot stove
- Super simple, whole food ingredients that you probably already own most of, saving you an extra trip to the grocery store
- A dressing that doubles as a sauce for any Thanksgiving leftovers (like turkey sandwiches!)
- Won’t leave you in a food coma on the couch
- Will leave you with some room for pumpkin pie!
Oh and one last thing…. if you or anyone you’re feeding this Thanksgiving think Brussels sprouts are the devil, there’s a good chance that’s because you’ve only tried them boiled. In my opinion, that’s the equivalent of committing Brussels sprout murder because nothing looks more sad than a booger-green little ball that smells weird. I promise, whether you decide to roast your sprouts (highly recommended) or shred them as I’ve done in this recipe, they will taste a bajillion times more fabulous.
Right, let’s get to it!
Massaged Kale and Brussels Sprout Slaw with Maple Tahini Dressing
- Total Time: 20 mins
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
Description
Simple, nutritious and incredibly tasty, this Massaged Kale and Brussels Sprout Slaw with Maple Tahini Dressing is ideal as a holiday side dish, or any time your body needs a boost of greens! Vegan, paleo, gluten free and anti-inflammatory.
Ingredients
- 1 large bunch lacinato kale, shredded into small pieces (about 4 cups)
- 5 cups trimmed and shredded Brussels sprouts
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
- 2 tbsp hemp seeds
Dressing:
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- pinch of sea salt
Instructions
- Wash and prep the kale and Brussels sprouts as indicated above. Stir the olive oil and apple cider vinegar together, then drizzle it over the shredded kale and sprouts in a very large bowl. Massage the veggies – yes, really get your (clean) hands in there!*
- Combine the ingredients for the dressing in a glass jar and shake very well to combine.
- Pour as much of the dressing as you like over the kale and sprouts. Toss well to coat as much as possible.
- Scatter the pumpkin seeds and hemp seeds over the veggies and toss again. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with additional seeds, if desired.
- Serve any leftover dressing on the side.**
Notes
* Massaging tougher greens like kale helps to break down fiber, which helps make digestion easier. The acidity o the apple cider vinegar helps with this breakdown, and the healthy fats in the olive oil help to make the fat-soluble vitamins in the salad more absorbable by our bodies.
** The dressing will thicken when left in the fridge, but adding a little water and giving it a good shake will thin it out again.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 0 mins
- Category: salad
- Method: no-cook
Keywords: Thanksgiving, Christmas, holiday recipes, vegan, vegetarian, paleo, anti-inflammatory, low sugar
Lastly, if you’re a Brussels sprouts lover like me, be sure to check out this Great Big Brussels Sprout Recipe Roundup. Whatever you get up to today, know that I’m so incredibly grateful for you, and I hope you have a very Happy Thanksgiving!