By Luis and I sat on the porch after dinner. The evening was quiet. The desert sky went from pink to purple to dark. We held hands — briefly, the way we always hold hands, not dramatically but factually, the fact of two people who have been holding hands for thirty years and who hold because the holding is the marriage, not the ceremony. The porch. The sky. The hands. The enough.
On evenings like that one — the sky doing its slow work, Luis’s hand in mine — I never want food that makes a fuss. I want something that tastes like the season we’re in, something I can put on the table without pulling myself away from the porch for too long. This Brussels sprouts and quinoa salad has become our October, our November, our quiet Tuesday ritual: roasted and a little caramelized at the edges, dressed simply with lemon and mustard, the kind of thing that feels like enough because it is enough.
Brussels Sprouts & Quinoa Salad
Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 30 min | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup shaved Parmesan (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa. Combine rinsed quinoa and vegetable broth in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and set aside to cool slightly.
- Roast the Brussels sprouts. Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss halved Brussels sprouts with 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast 18—20 minutes, tossing once halfway through, until edges are golden and caramelized.
- Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper until smooth and emulsified.
- Assemble the salad. In a large serving bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, roasted Brussels sprouts, dried cranberries, toasted pecans, and green onions. Drizzle the dressing over the top and toss gently to coat everything evenly.
- Finish and serve. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Top with shaved Parmesan if using. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 320 | Protein: 11g | Fat: 14g | Carbs: 40g | Fiber: 7g | Sodium: 370mg