Winter Veggie Remix: Brussel Sprout and Kale Salad

Cold weather usually means access to those beautiful fresh veggies we crave and for some of us that we get from our garden are a thing of the past until the Spring, so I'm always looking for ways to "lighten" my cold weather veggie picks that don't involve roasting them. Let's face it we roast everything this time of the year, it's somehow comforting in terms of your food, I'm sure there's a science behind it, I just don't know what it is lol. Insert this recipe, it's a staple in our home because of the easiness and versatility of what I can serve with it (favorite usually being a sweet glazed salmon of some sort and a lemon jasmine rice as it makes a great 25 minute complete from stove to table dinner meal) . I'm not exaggerating when I say it's not only the husband's favorite and he can eat all the servings in this recipe himself and dare say I he has tried...but the kids enjoy it too. See so now you too have the secret on how to get your kids to eat their veggies (wink). Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Salad:

1 bunch of kale, separated from the stems and sliced thin

10-15 Brussels sprouts finely sliced thin (buy a precut bag or throw them in a food processor as a quick fix)

1/2 cup of pecorino cheese

1/2 cup of chopped toasted Walnuts or Pecans (for added flavor you can toast them if you like)

Dressing:

1/2 cup of olive oil

3 tablespoons of white balsamic vinegar or champagne vinegar

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 shallot minced

1 garlic clove minced

1tbsp of Dijon mustard

1 very ripe avocado smashed

salt and pepper to taste

Mix all dressing ingredients together ( I like to use a mini food processor to get a nice puree and then add the olive oil to the processor at the end). It will emulsify everything giving you a creamy rich dressing. Pour on the salad and toss. Then add chopped nuts and a 1/2 cup of pecorino cheese and toss again. Let it sit in the fridge for at least 10-15 mins to get maximum flavor.