Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad

So, it's no secret that I LOVE Brussels sprouts. It seems about time that I created a salad with them. I decided to use roasted sprouts with some fresh spinach for a delicious and healthy Caesar salad. Cruciferous veggies have amazing health benefits and are packed with iron, vitamin A, and potassium. This is a really simple way to enjoy these veggies that has a ton of flavor without a ton of calories. Just add the Caesar dressing of your choice, I would recommend a light or low calorie version, creamy Caesar would smother the sprouts. Since the sprouts are roasted in olive oil, you only need a tiny bit of dressing to add flavor. Top with homemade croutons, some Parmesan and black pepper and you have a deceptively filling and tasty vegetarian meal.

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Full recipe after the jump!


Ingredients:
1lb brussel sprouts, ends trimmed off
4 cup of fresh baby spinach, washed and chopped
1 tbsp garlic, minced
3-4 tbsp caesar dressing, (I use 365 Organic Light Caesar b/c it is tasty and has only 35 calories per tbsp)
1/4 cup fresh Parmesan, grated
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2-3 slices of bread (I used sourdough, but you could use a baguette as well), cubed
salt & pepper

Step by Step Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 425

2. Using a sharp knife, slice each sprout in half and then shred by cutting each half into thin slices

3. After shredding all the sprouts, rinse in cold water

4. In a roasting pan or dish, toss sprouts with garlic and olive oil, season with salt and pepper

5. Roast sprouts for 20-25 minutes, until crispy

6. Spread cubed bread on a cookie sheet

7. Bake bread for 10 minutes, until hardened into croutons

8. Allow sprouts to cool slightly

9. In a large bowl, mix warm sprouts with spinach, croutons, dressing and cheese

10. Toss thoroughly

11. Serve immediately with black pepper