I can’t believe Thanksgiving is almost a week away! Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I go home to see my family (which I only get to do a few times a year) and my Dad and I get to cook together. I’m very much his sous, but I love it.
Something I love about my family is that we mark certain holidays with “special” food. We don’t eat this food very often, but when we do, it’s always tied to a day or an event. Thanksgiving is one of those holidays. We eat the same delicious things every year, and much like the seasons, wait for them to return to savor them again.
Even with my love of this tradition, I often wonder what else I could make for Thanksgiving, once I start my own traditions. This past weekend I had a chance to experiment. N and I were invited to a friend’s pre-Thanksgiving potluck feast, with the note that anything we brought had to be vegan. Wonderful! I thought. More veggies for everyone!
Now that Brussels sprouts are back in season, I’ve been wanting to get my hands on them and finally try something I’ve never tried: shred them. I used my handy green Berliner mandolin (like the one they use on Iron Chef, because I’m a nerd), but you can also thinly slice them and hone your knife skills. To give this salad some extra crunch, I also added another seasonal favorite, fennel.
When N and I got to the potluck, my salad was being placed next to sweet potatoes (with vegan marshmellows on top), Field Roasts, and other salads. I was a little worried that my contribution would be the unpopular kid at the table. At the end of the night, I went to find my tupperware, only to see that it was completely empty! No leftovers! I hope this salad can wow your and your guests like it did the vegan crowd I met last weekend.
Ingredients
- 1 - 1 1/2 lb of Brussels sprouts, shredded
- 1 cup of fennel, finely sliced and cut
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
- salt, pepper, and paprika, to taste
- 2-3 tbsp white miso (gluten free varieties available)
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tsp soy sauce, tamari or coconut aminos
Instructions
In a deep sauce pan, bring olive oil to medium heat. Add Brussels sprouts and saute for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and place into a large bowl.
Add fennel, lemon juice, walnuts, and spices into the bowl and mix to combine.
To make dressing, combine all ingredients and stir until miso is completely dissolved.
Pour desired amount of dressing (depending on your dressing to salad preference) onto salad and toss to combine.