Brussels Sprouts & Bacon Salad

Ohhhh, friends!  You are going to LOVE this salad!

Let's talk about how delicious and nutritious Brussels sprouts are first: 

• Helps lower cholesterol
• Aids in thyroid function
• Studies have shown cruciferous vegetables to be cancer-fighting
• Supports our body's detox system, antioxidant system and inflammatory system!
• Did I mention it is delicious!??  I could seriously eat Brussels sprouts every day...and I make it all kinds of different ways.  This particular recipe just happens to be a cold version and you are going to love it!

And, it doesn't hurt that the recipe calls for bacon...you like bacon, right?  If you answered no, I'm sorry, I just don't think this relationship is going to work out...no, no really...it's not me, it's you.

Let's get to it!

Ingredients:

Juice of 1/2 lemon
Juice of 1/2 large orange, or 1 small orange
1 small shallot, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
salt & pepper, to taste
3 slices of bacon, crumbled
1 package or about 2 dozen Brussels sprouts, washed and chopped (you can now buy them shredded already but if you don't have these in your local grocery store, just slice them up.)
1/3 cup roasted, unsalted almonds, chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese or any type of sharp cheese
1 tsp sugar

Preparation:
*make this up to a day ahead of your event, the longer it sits, the better melding of the flavors - however the first time I made this, we ate it right away and it was just yummy!

For the dressing:  In a small mixing bowl, add shallots, lemon and orange juice; mix together.

Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking to create a bit of emulsification; it will start to look creamy and begin to blend really well together.  Set aside in the fridge while you mix the rest of the ingredients.

For the salad:  In a large bowl, add the sprouts, bacon, almonds, salt and pepper and toss all of it together.

Toss the salad with the dressing, sprinkling the sugar along the way.  I like the tiny bit of sweetness the sugar adds to the citrus-y taste of the dressing....so good!

Cover and cool in the fridge for a few hours, and then when ready toss and serve.  You can make a little bit more dressing if you'd like to add later.

Serve as a side dish to BBQ or any type of meat or fish - it's light and refreshing!

Nutrition*:
Serves 4 as a side dish.

Calories 284 / Fat 24g / Fiber 2g / Carbohydrates 10g / Protein 10g / Sodium 339mg

Adapted from Pinch of Yum.

*Nutrition information is an estimation only and the nutritional analysis I provide for each recipe is calculated via My Fitness Pal using the nutritional data found on their website. I am not a registered dietitian, so always consult a qualified healthcare provider for any answers to personal health care questions.