Combining pungent shaved parmesan cheese with spiced almonds and seeds with a zesty olive oil dressing, this is an easy keto-friendly Brussels Sprouts Salad with loads of delicious texture.
Lay Brussels sprouts sideways and start from the top, slice Brussels sprouts into fine slices.Break up the finely shaved Brussels sprouts slices into thin shreds. Just push them out from the centre and loosen the wispy strands. Give Brussels sprouts a rinse to remove any excess dirt and set aside for assembly.
Roll pomegranate on the kitchen bench to loosen up the seeds. Then score the skin in the middle of the pomegranate all the way around and then twist the fruit to tear it apart. Next, hold it cut side down over a large bowl and tap the back of the fruit so the seeds start popping out into the bowl.
Heat a large frypan over medium heat. Add chilli flakes and fennel seeds to dry roast for about 30 seconds just to warm through and start releasing the flavours.Add sunflower seeds and roughly chopped almonds to the frypan and continue to dry roast for another minute or so. Remove from the frypan and set aside for assembly.
Salad Dressing
Wash and finely chop parsley leaves.
In a small mixing bowl, add olive oil, lemon juice and chopped parsley leaves and whisk until combined.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Assembly
In a large mixing bowl, add the shaved Brussels sprouts, ½ pomegranate seeds, toasted almonds and sunflower seeds mixture.
Dress salad and toss together to make sure the shaved Brussels sprouts are well covered.
Using a vegetable peeler, shave parmesan cheese into the mixing bowl. Mix gently together with the rest of the salad.
Let salad rest for about 10 minutes so that the dressing helps soften the shaved Brussels sprouts a little.
Transfer salad to a large serving plate.
Shave extra parmesan cheese and sprinkle the remaining pomegranate seeds on top of the salad to serve.
Notes
If you prefer nut free, you can substitute almonds for pepitas.
If pomegranate is not in season, try blueberries instead if you are on Keto diet.
For those not following keto, I would suggest dried cranberries. Dried fruit generally has a higher sugar count than fresh fruit.