This salad encompasses all the flavors and textures of Autumn…hence the name!  The apples give a sweet and crispy contrast to the savory Brussels sprouts, the walnuts add a wonderful crunch, and the tanginess of the dijon dressing really brings the entire salad together. 

This year, Brian and I are hosting Thanksgiving for his family at our apartment in Denver and we could not be more excited!

I feel like I have been scouring the internet for wonderful recipes and inspiration, testing out various side dishes, and preparing for the big day for months!

I absolutely LOVE eating with the season, so as soon as I started to see Brussels sprouts popping up in every store I made sure to get my hands on a bunch so that we could enjoy these wonderful baby cabbages.

This salad kind of happened by accident (as most great things do!).  I was simply throwing together ingredients to make a warm, fall-y salad to go with a Sunday night dinner and out came this Autumn Fest Salad.

We were so thrilled with how the salad turned out, we decided to add it to our Thanksgiving menu right then and there!!

Autumn Fest Salad (with Brussels sprouts, apples, and walnuts)

Ingredients: 

• 1 lb Brussels Sprouts, washed and cut unto halves or quarters
• Coconut Oil or Olive Oil Cooking Spray
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 apples, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• Dressing:
  • 1/4 cup dijon
  • 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Place Brussels sprouts on parchment, foil, or silicon lined baking sheet.
3. Spritz the cooking spray (olive or coconut oil) over the Brussels sprouts and sprinkle the sea salt and pepper over the top of the sprouts.
4. Toss the Brussels sprouts around to make sure they are all coated with the seasoning.
5. Bake at 425 for about 30 minutes, stirring once at about 15 minutes.
6. In a large bowl combine the dressing ingredients (dijon, vinegar, olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper.)  Add the apples, walnuts, and Brussels sprouts (once they are done cooking.)  Toss all ingredients together until coated with dressing.   Enjoy!

Question of the Day:

• What is one of your favorite fall vegetables?