Brussel Sprout Salad (?)

"Brussel sprouts, Katie?  Really?!"  I know, I know!  If you had told me to eat brussel sprouts a year ago I would have called you crazy, but I've discovered they can be pretty tasty when you prepare them correctly.  So indulge me for a minute.

We bought some brussel sprouts the other day for a dinner side and ended up forgetting to make them.  We also had some leftover grilled chicken and Sean was going to be gone for dinner, so I was on my own that night.  I absolutely love salads for meals because I pack A LOT in my salads.  So when I got this idea to use the brussel sprouts to make a salad, I knew I had to try it!  When I ended up staying at work until 5:30 cooking for one just did not sound inviting.  So I waited until today to do my experiment.

Now there is a question mark at the end of that title because I'm not sure exactly what category this dish falls into.  It has a salad dressing, but no lettuce.  Something green but also grains... so we'll end it with a question mark and you can decide if it's a salad, side dish, or other food term.

One last note before we get to the recipe:
You could use any type of grain for this recipe, but I chose Trader Joe's Harvest Grains.  I LOVE this stuff!  Whenever we go shopping for the week and see it on the shelf, we buy a bag because we know we'll use it eventually... and by eventually I mean we'll change our menu for the week just to fit it in.  If you haven't tried it yet GO GET SOME!  You won't regret it.




Brussel Sprout Salad with Grains and Chicken

10 brussel sprouts (quartered)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic (minced)
salt and pepper
1/2 package Harvest Grains from Trader Joe's (or other grain such as quinoa or couscous)
1 grilled or baked chicken breast (cubed)
honey mustard dressing (store bought or just follow the recipe at the bottom of this post)

Mix the brussel sprouts, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl.  Spread the mixture onto a cookie sheet and place in a 450 degree oven for 20-30 minutes, or until the sprouts are browned.

If you're going to make the honey mustard dressing, make it now and set it in the fridge.

Cook your grains according to the instructions.  The Harvest Grains will take about 10 minutes.  (I like using chicken broth rather than water to add more flavor.)

Once the brussel sprouts and grains are finished, mix them together with the cubed chicken in a bowl.  Drizzle the honey mustard dressing on top and enjoy!

Honey Mustard Dressing
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 Tbsp honey
1/2 Tbsp mustard
1/2 Tbsp white vinegar
small pinch of paprika

Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl.  Refrigerate until you need it.   (Makes enough dressing for 2-3 servings.)


Afterthoughts:  I ate this dish for lunch and didn't have time to finish, so I stuck it in the fridge and went to meet a friend for coffee.  When I came back I finished the rest and it was even BETTER cold!  Put the dressing on, toss, and let that salad marinate in the fridge for even more flavor.

While prepping this I thought, "I really want to add cheese to this."  Cue the point where I kick myself for being out of feta!  If you love cheese like me, you could add some feta or gorgonzola.  Because let's be honest... everything is better with cheese.  I think I would trade out the honey mustard dressing with a balsamic for that route. If you do, comment below and let me know how it tastes.

Happy eating!

Katie