Fall Salad with Rosemary & Sea Salt Roasted Chickpeas and Apple Cider Vinaigrette

I have a feeling that I’m going to be eating this salad daily for the next few months…

You’ll see what I mean when you find yourself dipping your fork directly into the bowl of leftovers in the fridge. The kale and Brussels sprouts combo makes a wonderful hearty salad base, and its earthiness is perfectly complemented by tart-sweet cranberries. There’s walnuts for crunch, Rosemary & Sea Salt roasted chickpeas for savory flare, and an apple cider, maple-tinged dressing brightens the whole thing up.

Be prepared to love it. (Even if you aren’t a kale or Brussels sprouts person.)

Brussels sprouts might be one of the most misunderstood vegetables of all time. If you grew up hating Brussels, hang in there with me for this one. Since the Brussels sprouts are not cooked, they don’t have a strong flavor but more of a pleasant crunch and when mixed in with all the other goodies the flavors & textures just all work well together. Don’t hesitate to swap in your favorite nuts or even toss in a few shavings of cheese for a delicious vegetarian variation. Either way, this recipe will put the once-forgotten Brussels sprouts back in the spotlight.

You’ve got this.

The roasted chickpeas are crunchy, salty, easy & healthy which is pretty much a win all around. In addition, Rosemary & Sea Salt Chickpeas are great news on two fronts: 1.) Leftovers are fabulous. 2.) They can be prepped in advance and served at your leisure. (Just make sure you wait to add them to the salad until the last minute.)

This salad is about to change your life.

Fall Salad with Rosemary & Sea Salt Chickpeas and Apple Cider Vinaigrette

For the Salad:
1 lb. Brussels sprouts
1 bunch kale, stems removed and finely chopped
½ cup toasted, chopped walnuts
⅓ cup dried cranberries
salt and pepper to taste

For the Chickpeas: (Personally, I make a double batch!)
1 15-ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
1 tbsp. olive oil
1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

For the Apple Cider Maple Vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ cup olive oil
pinch of salt and pepper

For the salad: Trim the woody ends off the Brussels sprouts. In a food processor fitted with the shredding disc, process sprouts until uniformly shredded. (If you don’t have a food processor, you can slice the sprouts using a mandoline, or very finely by hand.) Add shredded Brussels Sprouts and chopped kale to a bowl. Add toasted walnuts and dried cranberries to Brussels Sprouts. Drizzle with desired amount of vinaigrette (refrigerate remainder). Mix and serve topped with roasted rosemary and sea salt chickpeas.

For the chickpeas: Preheat oven to 425˚ F. Drain and rinse chickpeas. Using a towel, pat until the chickpeas are relatively dry. Place the dried chickpeas in a medium bowl. Drizzle chickpeas with the olive oil and toss gently with a large spoon. Sprinkle on the rosemary and sea salt. Toss again. Spread chickpeas on baking sheet in a single layer. Bake 20 – 25 minutes, stirring halfway through, until golden brown and crunchy.

For the dressing: place all ingredients for dressing in a mason jar, cover and shake until combined.