Autum Brussel Sprout Salad with Maple Tahini Dressing

I do eat salad sometimes I swear. I just like sneaking veggies in other places. Honestly sometimes chewing salads can be exhausting. That may also be the lamest thing I've typed in a while.

Salad to me is just so much more a summer thing where I want the fresh and the crisp, but in winter? Especially today when it was raining heavy almost all day? Nah.

I did however think to myself on my trip to TJ's today: huh. I haven't bought some shaved Brussel sprouts in a while and those are delicious. Hence this salad.

Ingredients for the salad:

- 3 cups shaved brussel sprouts (or one Trader Joe's bag)

- 1 small granny smith apple diced into match sticks

- 3 Tbs walnuts crushed

- 1 medium sweet potato diced

- 6 Tbs low sugar Crasins

Ingredients for the dressing:

- 2 Tbs maple syrup

- 2 Tbs Tahini

- 1 Tbs Dijon mustard

- 1 tsp minced garlic

- a sprinkle cumin (like 1/4-1/2 tsp)

- 1/2 tsp onion powder

- 1/4 - 1/3 cup water

- (*optional splash of rice vinegar. My friend tried it and it was good)

Instructions:

Step 1: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Dice sweet potatoes into 1/2 inchish cubes and immediately put in oven when heated up. Bake until tender, about 15-20 minutes

Step 2: Slice Granny Smith apple into match sticks. I used my mandoline and then cut those into sticks. Put walnuts in plastic bag and smash under cup a few times until corse pieces are made. Measure out Crasins.

Step 3: Dump all of step 2 in bowl with Brussel sprouts

Step 4: Put all dressing ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. If you like less sweet more savory only add one tablespoon of maple syrup. It's a fairly sweet dressing and would be much less so and still have a maple flavor with only half the syrup.

Step 5: When potatoes are done roasting add them to salad base

Step 7: Toss with dressing

This salad is perfect for my after school hunger pangs. I don't know why I can't make it from 11:30 until dinner time at like 5:30 but I can't. I need a little something and this is is going to pack enough flavor and fiber to keep me over until dinner time.

Nutrition facts: Servings 4, Serving size 1 cup. Calories 236; Fat 7.1 g; Fiber 5.5 g; Protein 5.3 g; Carbohydrates 30.5

(*number background courtesy of my math nerdiness)

#salad