Sweet and Smoky Brussels Slaw

Change things up this week with this irresistible Sweet and Smoky Brussels Slaw!

This post was created in partnership with Made In Nature®

Iterate, iterate, iterate

You know that old adage, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”? There’s some truth in that. I mean, when you find something good, and I mean soooo good, why would you want to change it?  The answer is simple, you don’t fix it but…sometimes you just have to bend the rules and iterate on it to get the job done.

That’s how this Sweet and Smoky Brussels Slaw came about. Based on our wildly popular Brussels Sprouts Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette, this salad came to be when I was asked to bring a salad for a staff luncheon during a recent teacher appreciation week at my daughters’ school.  The salad needed to be vegan which meant I’d need to leave the bacon out but I wanted to keep that smoky flavor. After a quick look around the pantry I spied my hubby’s stash of smoked almonds and that’s when the first wave of inspiration hit.

Unfortunately, smoked almonds typically aren’t Whole30-compliant because of the soy and maltodextrin added to them but in this case they were going to be perfect (the salad didn’t need to be Whole30-friendly).  While in the pantry I also noticed that we were out of dried cherries and it was 10:30pm so I had no choice but to iterate again – this time substituting Made In Nature Deglet Noor Dates. Naturally sweet, organic, non-GMO and made without any added sugars they were exactly what I didn’t know I was looking for.

Where the dried cherries added a bit of sweet-tart flavor to the salad this Sweet and Smoky Brussels Slaw is based on, the dates brought THIS salad to a whole other level thanks to their caramel-like flavor – so much so that I’m not sure I can ever go back. Dates are now my go-to add-in for salads. << And this is coming from someone who was never a date fan… that is, until I met the dates from Made In Nature. They’re unlike any other date I’ve ever had – plump and soft and never dry and gritty!

Just one taste and I think you’ll agree  – dates and bacon take this Sweet and Smoky Brussels Slaw over the top!

If you’re a fan our Brussels Sprouts Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette then I bet you’re wondering how the salad turned out with all those changes. Could it really be as good with all those last minute, late night changes?! Let me tell you, it was ah-mazing! And I couldn’t wait to remake it the next day with bacon so it would be Whole30-friendly because it was just too good to not share with you.

Though you can’t fix something that isn’t broken you can certainly iterate because you just never know…

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Let's Get Cookin'

Sweet and Smoky Brussels Slaw

• Author: Jessica Beacom
• Prep Time: 20 min.
• Total Time: 20 min.
• Yield: Serves 8 1x
• Category: Whole30, Paleo, Dairy-free

Print Recipe

Ingredients

For the Salad:

• 1 ¼ lb. Brussels sprouts, shredded
• 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced (about ¼ cup; may substitute red onion)
• 5–6 strips no sugar bacon, crisp-cooked and chopped
• ⅓ cup Made In Nature Deglet Noor Dates
• ⅓ cup toasted or dry-roasted almonds (slivered, sliced or chopped)*

For the Dressing:

• 1 medium lemon, zested and juiced
• ½ small orange, juiced
• 1 Made In Nature Deglet Noor Date
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 2/3 cup avocado oil (may substitute olive oil) 
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. dried thyme (or ¾ – 1 tsp. fresh thyme)

*Smoked almonds can also be used in this recipe to make it vegan though they are NOT Whole30-compliant

Instructions

1. To make the dressing, combine all ingredients (lemon juice through thyme) in a blender container. Blend until emulsified and smooth. Set aside or refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Place shredded Brussels sprouts in a large bowl.
3. Add shallots, bacon and chopped dates. Toss to combine, using your fingers to separate the dates if they’ve clumped together.
4. Pour dressing over salad and toss.
5. Add almonds just before serving and toss well to combine.

Notes

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1/8th recipe
• Calories: 223
• Sugar: 6g
• Sodium: 261mg
• Fat: 16g
• Carbohydrates: 13g
• Fiber: 3g
• Protein: 5g

Have you ever iterated on a favorite recipe out of circumstance only to find that you like it better that way? Leave a comment below and tell us all about it.

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About Jessica Beacom

Jessica is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist living in Boulder, CO with her hubby and two daughters. She's been described as a 'real food evangelist' and loves sharing her knowledge with others to help them break free of the diet mentality and find their own food freedom. In her spare time she enjoys CrossFit, telemark skiing, mountain biking, teaching herself how to play the banjo and camping out under the stars.