Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad

The thing about the online food world is that the seasons are marked by recipes. The current recipe perfect for fall that's on just about every site there is? Kale and Brussels Sprout Salad.

I have seen versions of this recipe in my email, on twitter, on gorgeous pictures on Pinterest for days and days. The more I saw, the more I wanted to eat it myself.

I guess I'm pretty susceptible to advertising, then.

Chopping everything takes some time, and I definitely hit a point when I thought that all that chopping couldn't be worth it. (I also realized that I had been cutting the brussels sprouts poorly. The best way is to cut in half through the stem, then slice thinly horizontally from the top, working your way down towards the stem. Once I figured this out, things went much smoother.)

All that chopping is most certainly well worth it. I realized about halfway through dinner that I should have made a double or even triple recipe, because this salad was pretty much all I wanted to eat. A day later, I'm still thinking about how much I want to eat this.

Good thing I have more brussels sprouts and kale in the fridge.

Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad

1 Tbsp dijon mustard
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 pound brussels sprouts, sliced very finely so the layers flake apart
1 large bunch of kale, ribs removed, sliced thinly
4-5 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
handful of hazelnuts, roughly chopped
pecorino romano

Whisk together the dijon mustard, lemon juice, and olive oil. Add salt to taste (a pinch will probably do).

In a large bowl, combine cut brussels sprouts and kale. Toss with dressing - make sure it gets all the leaves covered. Let sit 15-20 minutes before finishing. If the salad is still a little dry, add another splash of olive oil and toss. The dressing will wilt the leaves a little and make them softer.

Before serving, add crumbled bacon, hazelnuts, and shavings of pecorino cheese. Toss and enjoy.

Taking "Cave Cibum" a Little Too Literally

Are you surprised to see a new post here? So am I! Truth be told, I got a little burned out with this project for a while, and when I finally had new things to write about, I wasn't too excited to actually follow through. But enough of my family has guilt-tripped me into writing again, so I guess you have them to blame for this (*cough*Berj*cough*).

Anyway.

When I named this blog Cave Cibum (which is Latin for "beware the food"), I didn't have any particular allergies or anything to be cautious about when it came to food. I was just being a nerd, wanting a title in Latin to confuse just about everyone. (Guess what? That worked! No one can pronounce Cave Cibum!)

But a little over a year ago, I decided to try eating a gluten-free diet for a little while to see if it would clear up the myriad tiny health problems I had that all added up to me feeling terrible. I had had periods of eating low-carb (South Beach style) in the past where I felt great, but I assumed that was because I wasn't eating anything bad for me. I had an inkling that maybe wheat was the real issue.

I won't bore you with the details, because everyone who has moved to a gluten-free lifestyle has a story to tell about how they got there, but suffice it to say that this has definitely done the trick for me. I don't have celiac disease (thank goodness!) or even an allergy, but I can tell the difference when I eat wheat, and that's all that matters.

Screw all those people who think I'm being pretentious or have just jumped on the next diet bandwagon.

I've spent the last year just getting my footing in the kitchen again. A lot of things I cook are already wheat-free (or are very easily adaptable), but do you really want to hear about egg scrambles and stir-fry? I've also never been big into cooking - baking has been my love. I haven't really jumped into gluten-free baking yet because I'm intimidated. Hopefully I can work out some of that intimidation right here.

So are you along for the ride with me? It's ok if you're not; if I just write this for me and those couple of cousins and aunts who keep hounding me, I'll be alright.