Lettuce every day gets old. Ask me how I know. Change it up without changing your diet with this flavorful Keto Brussels sprouts salad recipe.
Not Your Average Salad
Most salads are an excellent choice for Keto. You’re getting leafy green vegetables stocked with vitamins and minerals, you’re avoiding carb-laden lunches like sandwiches and pasta, and you don’t have to deal with a mid-afternoon food coma.
It’s easy to get in a routine of packing the same old lettuce salad and baked chicken every day, but there’s a problem. Pretty soon, you’re going to hate lettuce and chicken.
You may grow to hate it so much that you use it as an excuse to eat other things. Have you ever used salad as an excuse to eat something you shouldn’t because you were good? It’s a common trap!
To avoid the temptation to reward yourself with junk, find simple lunches you can make that won’t make you hate salad or feel entitled to hit the dessert table.
For this salad, we’ll swap the lettuce for Brussels sprouts. Just wash them and chop them up and they’re good to go as your base.
Dried cranberries and roasted pumpkin seeds offer perfect toppers for this yummy salad. Be careful with your dried cranberry purchase though. Many companies add sugar to cover the tartness, which could pose an issue for your Keto diet. Look for versions without added sugar.
Just Add Dressing
Part of the magic of this salad is the delightfully tangy dressing. And don’t worry — it’s easy to make.
You’ll start with equal amounts of Dijon mustard and balsamic vinegar. That is balanced out with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Erythritol, a sugar alcohol that’s great for Keto, adds sweetness. Of course, you can leave this out if you don’t have any on hand or if you think you’d prefer it less sweet.
I love this dressing on all kinds of salad, so you can always use your leftovers on plain lettuce salad too.
Can You Eat Raw Brussels Sprouts?
While it may be new for you, it’s perfectly fine to eat Brussels sprouts without cooking them. As with most vegetables, they do taste different when they’re raw versus cooked, so you might try them both ways and see which you prefer.
The main benefit I see to eating them raw is being able to eat this salad faster!
Louise co-founded Louise's Foods, Paleo Living Magazine, Nourishing Brands, & CoBionic. She has considerable research experience but enjoys creating products and articles that help move people just a little bit closer toward a healthy life they love.