Today I’m making a baked cabbage salad with a chickpea crumble and balsamic tahini dressing.

I’ve always disliked cabbage for as long as I can remember and I’ve simply never made an effort to like it.

But lately, I’ve been trying to challenge myself to step outside of my comfort zone in making new foods in new ways. I also came across 5 pages of cabbage recipes in a new cookbook that I’m reading, called Six Seasons, so I took it as a hint to give cabbage another try.

Brussels sprouts are one of my favorite vegetables to eat, so I treated the cabbage the same way, by roasting them in the oven.

You could certainly use just one of these vegetables, but I’m try to consume at least 30 plants a week for gut health, so I intentionally chose these 3 for more diversity.

I also used chickpeas to add some plant based protein, which is in the Tahini as well!

I think it’s really important that we prioritize both protein and vegetables in every meal so that we are fueling our bodies and feeling both satiated and energized throughout the day.

Ingredients:

1/2 red cabbage

1/2 green cabbage

2 cups Brussels sprouts

1 can chickpeas (drained and rinsed)

Olive oil

Tahini (4 Tbsps)

Balsamic vinegar (1/4 Cup)

Maple Syrup (2 Tbsps)

Red pepper flakes (pinch)

Lemon juice (from 1/2 lemon)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400.

Once your chickpeas are drained and rinsed, pulse them in a food processor until they are a loose crumble. Spread them out over a baking sheet and season with olive oil, salt and garlic powder. Cook for 15-20 minutes and check frequently to make sure the smaller bits don’t brown. You can always stir them up so they cook evenly. Once they are done, take them out of the oven and set aside.

Raise temperature in oven to 450.

Spread cabbage and Brussels on baking sheet and be sure to spread everything out. I personally wanted them to brown and get some texture, so be sure to spread them out. If your pan is overcrowded, they will steam instead of roast. Once the oven is heated to 450, add the veggies and let them roast for 15-20 minutes. I did shuffle them around 1-2 times to get them evenly cooked.

While the vegetables cook, make the dressing.

Combine the tahini, balsamic, maple syrup, lemon, red pepper flakes and 2 tbsps of olive oil to a jar. Shake until combined.

Once everything is ready you can assemble your salad. I plated the vegetables, drizzled the dressing on top and added the chickpea crumble last.

This was beyond delicious, in season and perfect for this time of year! Hope you enjoy!