Taboulè and Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad With Spiced Peanut Dressing
When life gives you brussel sprouts, you make shaved brussels sprout salad. It’s hearty. It’s healthy. It’s simple and it’s speedy. Get your daily dose of greens, fiber, veggies and core nutrients all in one dish without breaking a sweet. Dinner sorted. Meal prep planned. Left overs ready to go and smiles on all faces.
So what’s the key ingredient that makes this dile smile? To be blatantly honest, it’s the harmonization between the nutty crunch from the fresh greens, the smooth blend of grains and the spiced but creamy dressing that coats and binds this salad as one. But let’s break it down shall we…
Soul Foods - Taboulè
You know I love my friends from Freak of Nature Soul Foods because I have been working with them for many months now, creating easy, simple but very nutritious meals for you. Their products - Taboulè, Sweet Potato Curry, Curried Veggie Burger and Oriental Bowl - are pre-made base meals using only real ingredients with real flavor. No additives, preservatives, vegetable replacements or other harsh chemicals to enhance flavors. They want to give you back your time by prepping the core part of a meal so it’s as simple as boil, soak and serve alongside a delicious salad or vegetables of choice.
Taboulè is an Arabic dish that’s served cold alongside meats, bread and other grain-based platters. The Syrian and Lebanese communities are thought to have originally developed this dish out of the cheaper and more accessible ingredients. There is no cooking of ingredients apart from boiling the Bulgar or Couscous, the two grains typically used in this dish. All other ingredients are chopped and added in fresh.
Couscous is used in this Taboulè for a nuttier and creamier flavor which is paired with parsley, mint and lemon juice. It is 100% bio, 100% vegan and 100% delicious.
To take this Soul Food mix and bring it to life - simply place the contents in a small pot with a tablespoon or two of olive oil. Cook for one minute on medium heat. Next, pour one and a half cups of boiling water over the toasted contents and mix well. Bring to the boil and cook for 10 minutes with a lid on. Simple. I like to add a blob of vegan butter at the end to lighten and fluff the couscous up but this is not essential.
Check out my other Freak of Nature collaboration recipes here - Japanese Oriental Bowl with Century Eggs, Thai Veggie Curry Burger with Spiced Cucumber Relish and Two Herb, Heirloom Tomato and Plum Taboulè Salad.
The Greens
Here I have used brussel sprouts and kale in this recipe based on the seasonal availability. Autumn is a great time for greens that make dishes, especially salads, slightly more hearty. Kale and brussel sprouts are also two of the most nutrient dense vegetables that we know of today. To give you a little more information;
A single cup of raw kale (about 67 grams) contains;
Vitamin A: 206% of the DV (from beta-carotene)
Vitamin K: 684% of the DV
Vitamin C: 134% of the DV
Vitamin B6: 9% of the DV
Manganese: 26% of the DV
Calcium: 9% of the DV
Copper: 10% of the DV
Potassium: 9% of the DV
Magnesium: 6% of the DV
It also contains 3% or more of the DV for vitamin B1 (thiamin), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B3 (niacin), iron and phosphorus
This is coming with a total of 33 calories, 6 grams of carbs (2 of which are fiber) and 3 grams of protein (reference).
And in half a cup of cooked brussel sprouts (78 grams), it contains;
Calories: 28
Protein: 2 grams
Carbs: 6 grams
Fiber: 2 grams
Vitamin K: 137% of the RDI
Vitamin C: 81% of the RDI
Vitamin A: 12% of the RDI
Folate: 12% of the RDI
Manganese: 9% of the RDI (reference)
On a whole, this means you are taking in well over your daily recommended dose of greens just in this dish alone. Not only are these two sources of green vegetables great as they are packed full of fiber, vitamins and other beneficial nutrients but it is one great way to “bulk” up your meals while keeping them healthy and nutritious.
Do you find your body is always hungry during winter? One thing I find during the cooler months (sometimes even in the summer) is I can never be satisfied from a salad as it will never fill me up or if it does, I get those grumbles from the pit of my stomach in just a short hour or two. This is largely due to the amount of calories the human body burns keeping it warm (at an internal temperature of 38 degrees). Now, coming from the warm Aussie sun (year round), I use up a lot of body energy just keeping myself warm. Adding extra vegetables and fibrous foods means the stomach stays fuller for longer, especially with the added Taboulè base. I’m sure you can all relate in some form of another.
Spice? No thanks
If you aren’t into spicy foods, this dressing is certainly not one of them. It has a small amount of kick from chilli flakes but these do not make the dressing spicy. It adds a little spiced flavor which actually balances with the other sweet, salty and nutty elements.
If your not a fan, just either reduce the amount of chilli flakes or omit completely. Absolutely not a problem. We all want to be happy chappies at the end of the day.
Anyway that’s all from me. Enjoy
xx
Taboulè and Shaved Brussels sprout Salad with Spiced Peanut Dressing
Ingredients
1 Freak of Nature Taboulè Mix
200 grams Brussels sprouts, bottoms trimmed
10 baby carrots, washed
2 cups kale (other form of greens is okay too)
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped with stems
For the dressing
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tbsp peanut butter (I used a homemade one but smooth is best)
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
1/2 tsp salt
Method
Cook Taboulè according to the Freak of Nature instruction written. Use a fork to fluff the grains. Leave too cool.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper and pre-heat the oven to 200℃. Slice half of the Brussels sprouts in half along with the baby carrots Sprinkle with salt and 1-2 tbsp of the olive oil. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden, mixing every 5 or so minutes. Remove from the oven and leave too cool.
Mix together the dressing ingredients in a small bowl with a whisk or in a jar with a sealed lid and shake.
With the second half of the Brussels sprouts, finely shave with a serrated knife so there are no large clumps. (you can also use a vegetable mandolin if you have one). Place into a large bowl along with the parsley and cooled Taboulè. Add the baked carrots and halved golden Brussels sprouts. Mix well and place in a serving bowl. Sprinkle with the peanut dressing, placing the remaining dressing on the side for people to add a little extra (it’s pretty delicious to eat by itself.
Enjoy as a healthy, hearty salad or as a side to any baked veggies, grilled seafood or casserole.
