These days, there’s this movement of “Meatless Mondays.” The idea is, for the betterment of our health, our calorie intake and our planet, we should have one day a week of meatless meals. I assume Monday was chosen for alliteration purposes. And for a long time, I tried to jump on the bandwagon, but I sucked at it because “meatless” ended up being “veg forward, accented with meat.” Lol. Most of the time, some sort of bacon. What can I say? If there’s one way to get me to eat vegetables, it’s when they’re flavored with bacon and dripping in fat. That’s what makes this particular Brussels Sprout Salad with Pancetta so amazingly appealing to me!
So “meatless” is slightly misleading. But at the very least, “meatless* Mondays” have helped me explore the opportunities to consume more nutrients, add the color and flavors of fresh produce to our meals, and limit my red meat intake in general; in hopes of keeping our bodies in lovely working order while still keeping meals delicious.
So without further ado, one of my favorite vegetable recipes is one which I was trying to copy from one of my favorite restaurants here in Reno. This particular Chef tries hard to work within the frame of seasonal eating, which is one of the things I absolutely love about him, but also the thing that peeves me if I’m craving something specific and it’s not in its peak season. Hahaha.
What can I say? I’m a spoiled girl of the 21st century who’s used to being able to say “Seasons be damned!” when it comes to what I eat. Now, don’t get me wrong, I refuse to buy things like peaches in January, as they aren’t worth the water they were grown with, flavor-wise, and the amount of a footprint they leave on the world just by transporting them from some far-off land is disturbing. However, there are some fruits and vegetables which I love to eat year-round, and often those which are available are just as tasty out of season as they are in. Brussels Sprouts, I think, are becoming one of them (especially when you buy the organic ones at Costco).
And so, when I found myself craving this salty goodness of this salad, I figured I’d have to recreate it so I can eat it all year round.
Happy Cooking!!!
Brussels Sprout Salad with Pancetta and Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Ingredients
- For the Dressing - I got this recipe from the Detoxista seen at the link below. It was absolutely perfect.
- 1 Garlic Clove - Minced
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- ¼ Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- Juice of ½ Lemon
- 1-2 Tablespoons Honey to Taste
- ⅓ Cup Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- For the Salad:
- One bag of Brussels Sprouts - I used a mandolin to shave them but you can just chop them.
- A 4-5 oz. Container of Pancetta
- A crumbling of Ricotta Salata Mitica
- Approximately One Tablespoon of Raw Pine Nuts
Instructions
- Shake all dressing ingredients (or use a small whisk in a bowl) to combine.
- Crisp the Pancetta over medium heat.
- Once the Pancetta is at your desired level of firmness, remove it from the pan and add the Brussels Sprouts to the drippings over low heat.
- Sauté the Brussels Sprouts until tender but not mushy (I like them crunchy but warm).
- Pour the dressing into the pan and sauté an extra minute or so to warm the dressing.
- Plate the Brussels Sprouts and split the pancetta, cheese and pine nuts among the servings.
I got the dressing recipe from the Detoxista Here. It was absolutely perfect.
THIS LOOKS AMAZING..GOING TO TRY IT. LOVE COOKING LIGHT ALSO..HAVE YEARS OF THEM IN BOXES.