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Salads

Christmas Salad

KALE, CRANBERRY & GRANOLA SALAD

I don’t know about you, but a holiday dinner is never complete without a very special salad.  It needs to be lite due to all the other rich entrees and sides, but still more special than your typical daily salad. So I came up with salad to help pack in nutrition and add interest and beauty to your menu!

The show stopper of this salad is definitely the homemade granola! It is the perfect mix of salty and sweet plus it give s great crunch to the salad. The recipe does leave you with some extra granola to enjoy with yogurt, or more salads later, so you’re welcome! You can make this granola ahead of time so that on the day of you are just tossing everything together.

Sweet N Sassy Eats - Christmas Salad - dressing
The beginnings of the perfect salad dressing …

This is one of my go-to dressing, it’s simple and fast! I add different herbs and seasonings to complement the ingredients in the rest of the salads or in the meal it accompanies. In this salad though, I leave it pretty basic. You can whip this up ahead of time too!

Throw together all your ingredients and toss with the dressing, right before service.  Everyone loves this salad, the delicious sweet & savory granola with the creamy goat cheese and bursts of sweet & tart cranberries is the perfect combination to pair with the tender baby kale. 

Sweet N Sassy Eats - Christmas Salad - the perfect addition to any meal
Sweet N Sassy Eats - Christmas Salad - featured photo

Christmas Salad – Kale, Cranberry & Granola Salad

A holiday dinner is never complete without a very special salad, this one will be the perfect complement to any festive meal. With a delicious sweet & savory granola with the creamy goat cheese and bursts of sweet & tart cranberries is the perfect combination to pair with the tender baby kale.
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Course: holiday recipes, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 8 people
Author: sweetnsassyeats

Ingredients

Granola

  • 1 cup Unsweetened Coconut Flakes the big flakes
  • 1 cup Oats
  • 1/2 cup Pistachios
  • 1/2 cup Pumpkin Seeds
  • 1/4 cup Coconut Oils melted
  • 1 tbsp Maple Syrup
  • 2 tsp soy sauce

Dressing

  • 2 tbsp Avocado Oil
  • 2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Maple Syrup
  • 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
  • salt & pepper to taste

Salad

  • 5 oz Baby Kale
  • 1 cup Dried Cranberries
  • 6 oz Goat Cheese

Instructions

  • For the granola, heat oven to 350F. In a medium bowl, stir together the oats, coconut flakes, pumpkin seeds, pistachios, coconut oil, maple syrup, and soy sauce. Spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, then toss and bake again for another 10-15 minutes or until the oats are crisply toasted and fragrant. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
  • For the dressing, whisk together the avocado oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, and dijon mustard. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
  • To assemble the salad, toss the kale, cranberries, goat cheese & granola together in a large bowl. Add dressing to taste. 
Sweet N Sassy Eats - Christmas Salad - the perfect addition to any meal

Brussel Sprout Salad

Brussel Sprout & Bacon Salad!

I am always on the lookout for a delicious and healthy salad to compliment my holiday meals.  I want it to be healthy but not filled with a ton of ingredients, just simple, healthy and tasty. And this recipe hits the nail on the head perfectly!

I love shaved brussel sprout for these types of salads because they pack such a high nutritional punch because they are high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

Here are some quick facts about some of the awesome benefits of Brussel Sprouts

Brussel Sprout & Bacon Salad! The perfect healthy holiday salad!

  • Brussels sprouts are especially rich in vitamin K, which is necessary for blood clotting and bone health.
  • They’re also high in vitamin C, an antioxidant that helps promote iron absorption and is involved in tissue repair and immune function
  • They are high in fiber which helps support regularity and gut health
  • Brussels sprouts contain small amounts of vitamin B6, potassium, iron, thiamine, magnesium and phosphorus
  • Brussels sprouts contain kaempferol, an antioxidant that may reduce cancer growth, decrease inflammation and promote heart health.

This salad (besides being super healthy for you) is also very versatile, you can remove or add ingredients to your liking, so be creative! It also is super easy to throw together and because the Brussel sprouts are so hardy, you can even assemble this salad ahead of time (like 24 hrs before serving) and even pour the dressing on and the salad stays fresh and crispy! So this makes your holiday cooking prep even easier!

I think Brussel Sprout have gotten a bad wrap in their past, but they have easily become one of my favorite vegetables cooked or raw! I hope, even if you are a Brussel Sprout hater, that you will try my many Brussel Sprout recipes and give these nutritional powerhouses a chance!

 

Brussel Sprout Salad

This light salad is a nutritious and light side dish perfect for any meal but especially for a holiday dinner side dish.  
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Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: brussel sprouts, healthy greens, salad
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Author: Kristi Shields

Ingredients

  • 4 dzn Brussel Sprouts
  • 1 whole Pomegranate seeded
  • 6 slices Bacon cooked & crumbled
  • 1 cup Parmesan Cheese shaved
  • 1/2 cup Olive Oil extra virgin
  • 1 whole Lemon juiced
  • 1 whole Orange juiced
  • 1/2 cup Honey
  • salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Thinly slice the Brussel sprouts, or use a mandoline to thinly slice.  You want a thin slaw-like texture; place in a bowl.
  • Add Parmesan Cheese, crumbled bacon & pomegranate seeds to bowl.
  • In separate bowl mix lemon juice, orange juice, olive oil, honey; mix well then add salt & pepper to taste.
  • Pour dressing over salad and toss. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Should last well in the fridge for 1-2 days.

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