My go-to salad for a quick and filling weeknight dinner? This is it. Mainly for its simplicity’s sake: roast the brussels, saute the onions, steam the kale, add the toppings and dressing, and voila! Dinner is served. And for even easier prep and clean-up, roast the onions along with the brussels.
The walnuts in this recipe provide a good source of fat, fiber, and protein. And if you’re someone who’s struggling with thyroid hormone imbalance, chow down on this. Pumpkin seeds are high in zinc which is critical for thyroid hormone production. Without zinc, T4 cannot be converted to the active form of thyroid hormone, T3.
This is the first recipe you’re seeing me use avocado oil, why’s that? Avocado oil has a high-heat point so that it can be heated to a very high temperature without losing its structure. Olive oil, however, has a relatively low heat point. This means when heated on high heat its chemical structure actually changes. Now instead of being a heart-healthy, anti-inflammatory substance, it can actually take on detrimental properties. Olive is best used raw, so, if you’re roasting or sauteing, use either avocado or coconut oil and if you’re making a salad dressing, use olive oil.
Ingredients:
1 bag brussel sprouts
1 medium onion
2 Tbsp avocado oil
1 tsp salt
6 cups kale
1 tbsp walnuts
1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
Balsamic-honey dressing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F. Cut ends of brussel sprouts and then cut in half lengthwise. Toss with avocado oil and salt. Place cut side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 30-minutes. (Note: brussel sprouts DO NOT like to be bothered, so don’t mess with them while they’re roasting)
- Warm oil in a medium-sized pan. Slice onion into long ¼’ strips and saute on medium heat until translucent.
- Steam kale until bright green and soft.
- Arrange the kale in a bowl. Add ½ cup brussels and ½ onion. Sprinkle it with walnuts and pumpkin seeds, and then drizzle with dressing.
Make 2-3 servings
