Caitlin is a long-time food lover and professional taste tester. Between her work in food science, developing products across multiple categories, and her passion for recipe development, she’s pulled towards creating culinary experiences. She is a personal chef in her spare time and loves to share the dishes she’s created so that everyone can enjoy a chef-curated meal at home, as if it was served by The Flavorista herself.

Tools Used

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 LB shaved brussels

  • 8 strips smoked bacon

  • 1/2 C pomegranate arils

  • 1 tbsp pine nuts

  • 1 poblano pepper

  • 2 plum tomatoes

  • 1/4 red onion, quartered

  • 6 cloves garlic

  • 1/4 C evoo

  • adobo seasoning

  • tomato paste

  • microgreens

  • parmesan

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Shave brussels thinly with a mandolin or knife

  • Broil pepper, tomatoes, garlic, and onion until charred at 400 dF (watch closely so it does not burn, about 10 minutes)

  • Bake bacon until crispy at 400 dF (about 15 minutes)

  • Combine charred veg, tomato paste, & adobo into a blender, blend on high, reduce speed & stream in evoo

  • Toss brussels in half of the dressing, with pomegranates, a handful of microgreens, pine nuts, and crumbled bacon

  • Top with shaved parmesan & the rest of the dressing

This recipe is actually a WEEKNIGHT WARRIOR. It’s great for meal prep, and really takes little effort. The worst part is shaving all of your brussels. Once you get through that (which becomes much quicker with a sharp knife), all that’s left is blending your dressing and tossing your ingredients in a large bowl. This salad is amazing to enjoy during any season, packs a ton of nutrition, and leaves you wanting to come back for more.