Salad Time: Raw Brussels Sprouts and Carrot Salad

Brussels sprouts, carrots, parmesan and toasted walnuts plus a yummy lemony garlic dressing equals a simple and refreshing salad.

It’s bright, flavorful and perfect for spring and summer.

Laurenda Marie Bennett loves to cook and entertain in spring and summer. (Photo: Brent Taylor Photography)

Brussels sprouts are like adorable mini cabbages.

Eaten raw, they taste like cabbage, too. Yum!

My 10-year-old self would have cringed at this salad.

However, thankfully I grew up and developed a taste for real food, and I’m so grateful for that!

This is the perfect salad to accompany your next BBQ, or serve as a side dish at dinner!

It's guaranteed to be a hit for all, while delivering nourishment through a plethora of vitamins and minerals.

Recipe type: Side or salad
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Serves: Six people

Serving up this Brussels Sprout Carrot Salad would be perfect for your next gathering. (Photo: Laurenda Marie Bennett/LaurendaMarie.com)

Ingredients
For the salad

1 bunch Brussels sprouts

3 large carrots

½ cup parmesan cheese, shredded

¾ cup walnuts, chopped

For the dressing

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar

juice of half a lemon

zest of full lemon

½ teaspoon granulated garlic or 1 minced garlic clove

2 teaspooons of honey

1 teaspoon salt

Pepper to taste

Instructions

For the dressing, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, vinegars, garlic, honey, salt & pepper and set aside.

Rinse the Brussels sprouts, remove hard ends, and pull off any yellow outer leaves.

Thinly slice and place into a medium bowl.

Rinse and peel carrots. Julienne using a mandolin (or slice thin by hand) and place into bowl with Brussels sprouts.

Add grated parmesan cheese and mix together.

Drizzle dressing over salad and toss to evenly coat.

Cover the salad with saran wrap and chill in fridge until ready to serve (best if chilled at least four hours).

Before serving, toast the walnuts in a fry pan over medium heat, about five (5) minutes, and incorporate into salad.

Laurenda Marie Bennett authors the cooking blog Laurenda Marie and is a contributor on food and cooking for 100.5 The River the second and fourth Wednesday of each month. You can follow Laurenda on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and Google+.