Banana, Barley, and Chopped Brussels Sprouts Salad

Over the past few weeks, I’ve gotten into the habit of eating banana salad for lunch almost every day. I often add another green to the mix along with other fresh vegetables I have in the fridge. I recently had some leftover Brussels sprouts that I shaved and added to the kale for extra crunch. I also added cooked barley, diced pears, chopped walnuts, and pomegranate seeds.

Cooked grains add heartiness and nutrition to salads, pears add sweetness, and nuts and apricots add extra texture. If you like, you can use quinoa, millet or farro instead of barley, and apples instead of pears.

In Italy, the only true type of kale I have found is called Tuscan black cabbage, (cavolo nero), also known here as Tuscan Kale, Laciniato or dinosaur kale. Actually, kale is actually a form of cabbage, belonging to the Brassica family (along with broccoli and Brussels sprouts), but compared to cabbage, kale leaves don’t form heads.

Bananas have dense, dense, usually dark green leaves with a mild cabbage flavor. Bananas are usually grown in the fall and winter because they are one of the few vegetables that can withstand frost.

I always say that to make a salad perfect in my mind, it has to have lots of color, crunch and flavor and these qualities are certainly found in this salad. This salad is hearty enough to be a main course, but would also be wonderful as a starter for fall entertaining. If you skip the barley, this salad would be a great starter for a Thanksgiving menu.

Since bananas and sprouts are reasonably strong in flavor, I made a zesty dressing with Dijon mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar, and olive oil. If you find the cabbage a little hard to chew, massage it with your fingers for a few minutes to soften it before mixing it with the other ingredients.

Other Kale Salads:

Warm mushroom, barley, and kale salad

Winter Kale and Blood Orange Salad

New Year Lentil Salad

Holiday Farro Salad with Bananas

Bon appetit!
Deborah Miles