Shaved Brussel Sprouts Salad with Fresh Corn, Apples, & Tofu

 Sometimes I forget what it is like to go food shopping and not have access to a farmers market. 

I mean we are not only spoiled in the summer months by beautiful weather but by all of the pop up farmers markets around, giving us access to fresh, local produce. 

How do we survive in the winter?

What do all the farmers do for fun during the winter months?

Are they all on vacation? For some reason I think that a farmers job is never done. Even if they don't have producing crops at the time. There is always some kind of work to do. 

And so to all your farmers out there, THANK YOU!!!!

Thank you for all your tireless blood, sweat and tears to help feed the world.

 I would love to share this fresh farm produce salad with you. Its full of all sorts of "good for you" things.

I ribboned the brussel sprouts to look more like cabbage (all in the family) than little brussels sprouts. You could probably fool many a brussel sprouts haters with this dish. 

Served up room temperature or chilled it packs a little heat from the red pepper flakes and brings a punch of citrus from the lemon juice and slight tang from the apples and champagne vinegar. The sprouts bring in some excellent fiber and potassium and the tofu is packing some Mean Joe Green protein.

Enjoy!!!

Shaved Brussel Sprouts Salad with Fresh Corn, Apples, & Tofu

Ingredients

20 Brussel Sprouts, outer shells removed and sliced into thin ribbons
10 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained and cubed
1 medium red onion, diced
1 large Pink lady apple, diced
1 cup fresh corn (or frozen)
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
2 teaspoons butter
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
1 Tbls lemon juice

Salt, pepper to taste


Directions

Heat large pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add 1 teaspoon of olive oil, swirling the oil around to coat the base of the pan. Reduce heat to medium, add the tofu and saute, stirring frequently, until browned on all sides. Set outside.

Clean out pan, and return to medium-high heat. Add the remaining teaspoon of olive oil to the pan, and then add the onion. Saute until slightly translucent and then add the butter, brussels sprouts, salt and red pepper flakes and saute on medium heat for another 3-5 minutes or until sprouts are just wilted. Add the vinegar and corn then saute for another 2-3 minutes. Toss in the tofu cubes and saute for one minute more. Turn off the heat and add the apples and lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.

Let the mixture cool and come to room temperature or chill and serve.