brussels sprouts hash with toasted almonds

Brussels sprouts have had a recent renaissance. Some have paired with with bacon, but I think the crispy greens work perfectly without adding too many accessories. This hash is composed of shredded brussels sprouts, lemon juice, and toasted almonds. This was absolutely fantastic with Field Roast smoked apple sage sausage (pricey, but worth it!).

Brussels Sprout Hash


Brussels Sprouts, sliced really thin
Slivered almonds
One lemon
Salt


Cook the brussels sprouts in a non-stick pan- don't move them around too much, or they won't brown. You can use olive oil; I like to drizzle a thin line of olive oil on one side of the pan, heat the oil and then move the pan around to coat in olive oil. When they get close to being done, push the brussels sprouts to the side and toast the slivered almonds. When the nuts are toasted (watch them!), squeeze some lemon juice, grate some lemon zest, and sprinkle salt. Mix this together, and enjoy!

New obsession: Rubbed Kale Salad

You can almost hear the cruciferous green exclaim, "take me to dinner first!" I love this salad because it will keep you full for hours, and do I need to you tell how healthy and delicious dark leafy greens are? I have also used mustard and other hearty greens in this salad- the key is to use a green that can hold up to a strong massage without wilting. The rubbed greens salad is more of a technique than a recipe, much like the formula for soup.

Start with fresh kale (or other leafy greens). Wash the kale and be sure the kale is completely dry. Chop the kale leaves into ribbons, and drizzle a small amount of oil into the kale leaves. Rub and massage the leaves on the cutting board or in the bowl. Squeeze lemon juice over the kale, or use some other homemade dressing. Sprinkle with salt and fresh-cracked black pepper. Set aside. Add one of each:

Christmas kale salad!

Nuts and seeds:

Sunflower seeds
Pumpkin seeds
Slivered almonds
Sliced almonds
Peanuts
Walnuts

+Pro-Tip: Toast the nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat before sprinkling them on your salad. The heat releases the oils and gives you the loveliest nut flavor.

Fruit:

Sliced Apples
Sliced Pear
Raisins
Dried cranberries
Dried blueberries
Dried cherries

++Pro-Tip: Look for the kind without added sugar or HFCS (high fructose corn syrup). If you are shopping at the regular grocery store, the raisins are usually unsweetened (Thanks for the tip, Katie!).

If it tickles your fancy, add cheese:

Feta
Parmesean
Ricotta Salata

+++Pro-Tip: Pick something salty and crumbly.

Recently, I ate the salad with some homemade smoked sun-dried tomato salad dressing I made for the week.This dressing is incredibly savory and delicious. After trying the dressing, one of my roommates said, "It tastes like... pepperoni!" This dressing gives the umami taste you might get from miso, mushrooms, soy sauce, and other savory flavors. After soaking the smoked sun-dried tomatoes in hot water, I blended a handful of the tomatoes, lemon juice, lemon zest,  and salt and pepper. After the tomatoes are pureed, I spun up a dribble of the tomato water, a small dollop of Veganiasse, honey, and olive oil, to get the consistency I wanted (I like a looser dressing).

Pro Tip: Rub garlic on toasted bread

Few things pair better than toasty, crunchy bread and melted cheese. No matter what variation you choose (mozzarella, basil and tomato panini, applewood smoked cheddar on multi-grain, or classic american on white bread), there is one element that will take your sandwich to the next level: Garlic!

Even if you do not have any garlic flavor in your sandwich, rubbing garlic on the hot bread will give your sandwich that unnameable "extra" something special. The trick is to rub garlic on the bread when the bread is still piping hot: when you flip the sandwich on the griddle, immediately rub garlic on that side, and then rub the garlic on the other side when the sandwich is done.

Extra tip: I don't like to get the garlic on my hands if I can help it- to avoid this, I cut the tip of the garlic (the hard part that connects to the bulb) and leave the skin on. Then, holding by the skin, I rub the cut part of the garlic on the hot bread. Sprinkle a little salt and I promise your sandy will go from The Real Housewives of Orange County to The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (UPGRADE!).