September 9, 2011

Brussels Sprouts Salad!

Sep 9
Now that fall is around the corner, it’s going to get harder to find flavourful leaf lettuces for your salads. This salad solves that dilemma by combining brussels sprouts with Swiss chard as the base of the salad. Although more commonly cooked, brussels sprouts and Swiss chard also make delicious raw salads as long as they are very thinly sliced.
  • 3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice (about 1 to 2 lemons)
  • 2 Tbs. sunflower oil, preferable cold pressed
  • 1 1/2 Tbs. pure maple syrup
  • 1 Tbs. whole grain mustard
  • 8 ounces brussels sprouts, very thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
  • 4 to 6 leaves of Swiss chard, stemmed and thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
  • 1/3 cup raw hulled sunflower seeds, toasted
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries (optional)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  1. Toast sunflower seeds in a small skillet over medium heat, shaking pan occasionally, until they start to darken (about 2 to 3 minutes).
  2. Stir together lemon juice, maple syrup, mustard, salt, and pepper. Whisk in the sunflower oil until emulsified.
  3. Toss together the brussels sprouts and Swiss chard. Add the sunflower seeds, cranberries and dressing. Toss to combine all ingredients together.
  4. Serve immediately.
Brussels sprouts are packed with nutrients that detoxify, boost your immune system, and promote healthy, resilient skin. They contain an abundance of phytonutrients called glucosinolates which are thought to fight cancer. The isothiocyanates in brussels sprouts trigger the liver to produce detoxifying enzymes, which aid in the elimination of potentially carcinogenic substances. They also contain a large dose of vitamin A to help promote a strong immune system and healthy skin. Swiss chard offers amazing antioxidant protection in the form of carotenoids such as beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. They are also a great source of vitamin C and just one cup of cooked Swiss chard equals more than a third of your daily requirement. Swiss chard is also full of other nutrients including vitamin B6, vitamin E, vitamin K, potassium, magnesium, and calcium. The fiber rich vegetable also helps keep cholesterol levels low and may reduce the risk of heart disease. Sunflower seeds are choke full of vitamin E, your body’s primary fat soluble antioxidant.Vitamin E has significant anti-inflammatory effects that result in the reduction of symptoms in asthma, arthritis, and other conditions where free radicals and inflammation are significant factors. These seeds are also an abundant source of phytosterols, which are compounds that have a chemical structure very similar to cholesterol. These compounds are believed to reduce blood levels of cholesterol, enhance the immune system response, and decrease the risk of certain cancers. Hope you enjoy this healthy and delicious salad! Maybe some of you will try it over the weekend – if so, let me know how it turns out!