While warm winters in Florida are a blessing, it can be difficult to find winter-themed dishes that pair up with the warm weather. As much as I love a good winter stew, sometimes I just want something crisp and refreshing after an 85-degree winter day. I made this dish a few weeks ago at a healthy cooking class I hosted. (Ironically, as I’m writing this, we finally got a 60-degree cold front here in South Florida).

This recipe allows the kale and brussels to stay raw. Since we aren’t cooking them, they need to be finely chopped (and “massaged” if possible too) to break down the fibers. Raw kale and brussels can both be tough and bitter if not prepared correctly. I was able to find finely shaved brussels at the grocery store, which saved me some work and time.

Apples add a complimentary crunch and sweetness to the salad, without the need for any added or processed sugars. I used Pink Lady apples, but you can use whichever type of apple you tend to keep on hand. Pink Lady Apples are great because they are strong, sweet, tart, and firm.

Almonds and avocados lend to the healthy fat content of this dish. I put avocado in almost everything because my almost-2-year-old loves it so much. The avocado add a creamy richness to the salad that you might normally get from mayo or cheese in a traditional salad. The sliced almonds add another element of crunch, and of course add a nutty flavor to the dish.

Fir a touch of extra protein and texture, I added a can of drained chickpeas as well.

The salad is dressed with a simple mixture of white balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. I omit oil because we get enough healthy fat from the other ingredients, but you can add olive oil or similar if you prefer. White balsamic is one of my favorite ingredients because it’s colorless, not as “sour” as regular balsamic, and a tad bit sweeter tasting than most vinegars. You could always add a drizzle of real honey or pure maple syrup if you want the salad to taste a bit sweeter.

Of course, if you really want to kick it up a notch, you could add some uncured bacon and shredded cheese… as long as you don’t have any heart concerns, elevated lipid labs, or high blood pressure.

This dish can serve as a side, or as a meal with a hard-boiled egg or such.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups shaved or finely sliced Brussels sprouts
• 4 cups finely chopped kale
• 1 Pink Lady apple
• 1/2 cup sliced or chopped almonds
• 1 or 2 chopped avocado
• 1 can drained chickpeas (AKA garbanzo beans)
• 4 TB white balsamic vinegar
• 1 TB Dijon or stone ground mustard
• salt and pepper to taste
• optional: olive oil to taste, uncured bacon pieces, shredded cheese

Method:

Massage the kale and Brussels with clean hands to help soften the leaves. Mix all of the together with love, let marinate fit at least 30 minutes, and enjoy! Feel free to adjust the quantities of the ingredients to your liking.