Shaved Burssels Sprout Salad with Pinapple Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

I crave salad! Once we get one semi-warm day here in Kentucky my mind thinks summer is just around the corner and my tummy starts rumbling for all the goodies of spring & summer: salad, fresh veggies, & fruits. Oh, and fresh cut grass & flowers, but that isn't really relevant to this salad.
Anyway, this salad was pretty darn good.  However, I think next time I will sub the Brussels sprouts for lettuce.  It's odd really, I love all things green (beans, lettuce, spinach, broccoli, etc) but I didn't LOVE these sprouts.  I hadn't had Brussels sprouts since I was little and I think I would like them cooked but these didn't rock my world.  Also, I used frozen instead of fresh because the fresh ones didn't look too hot in my grocery-this could have been a factor as well.  Nonetheless, this was still a great, refreshing meal.

The pineapple poppy seed vinaigrette absolutely rocked my socks off! WOW!!!! It was so amazing and I am so glad that I made extra so I can dip my toasted bread in it and douse some lettuce with it as well :) YUM 

Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Pineapple Poppy Seed Vinaigrette 

Printable Recipe 

Adapted from Joy the Baker

Ingredients:

8 cups raw Brussels sprouts, lay sprouts on side and slice thin, creating little green ribbons  (fresh instead of frozen preferred)
1/2 cup scallions, sliced (both white and green parts)
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
2 cups fresh pineapple (I used canned), sliced into bit-size pieces
1 cup black beans (original recipe calls for French Lentils)
1 cup avocado chunks

Prepare all salad ingredients but do not toss together until ready to serve & top with dressing


Pineapple Poppy Seed Vinaigrette
(makes 2 cups)

1 1/2 to 2 cups pineapple chunks
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp chopped scallions (white portions)
1 small garlic clove, minced (or use hand-held cheese grater to make paste)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp canola oil
2 tsp poppy seeds
salt & pepper to taste

Place pineapple chunks in a food processor fitted with blade attachment.  Blend the pineapple into a mostly smooth, frothy pulp.  Using a fine mesh strainer placed over a bowl, press the pineapple puree through the strainer into the bowl.  Scrape the bottom of the strainer to make sure you get all the juice possible.  There will be a little bit of pineapple in the strainer when you're done.  You should have about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of juice/pulp.

In the food processor, combine juice, honey, rice wine vinegar, scallions, garlic, and mustard.  Pulse 5 times to incorporate.  With processor on, stream in canola oil, stop once emulsified.  Pour the dressing into medium bowl and stir in poppy seeds, salt and pepper to taste.

Toss dressing with salad and enjoy!

Store dressing in airtight container in refrigerator up to one week.

*I only used about 1/3 of salad ingredients since I was making it to serve two people.  I did make all the dressing so I could have left overs for another salad :)

My blog is almost 1 month old, please keep watch for an upcoming giveaway! Hoping you all have a blessed week!