Brussels Sprout Cranberry Salad with Apple Cider Tahini: A Healthy, Vegan Meal Prep Favorite
Discover a vibrant, wholesome, and incredibly satisfying Brussels Sprout Cranberry Salad featuring perfectly roasted Brussels sprouts, fluffy quinoa, dried cranberries, and crunchy pecans, all tossed in a sweet, tangy, and oil-free apple cider tahini dressing. This vegan, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free recipe is perfect for healthy meal prep!
Sometimes, the best recipes are born out of a little chaos and a lot of creativity. This delightful Brussels Sprout Cranberry Salad is a testament to that. It was late at night, just before a big trip to Indiana, and I was frantically packing. Fueled by adrenaline and a healthy dose of kombucha, I found myself instinctively grabbing various fresh vegetables and leftovers from the fridge, tossing them into Tupperware containers for our journey the next day.
In that moment of pre-travel anxiety, a magical combination emerged: perfectly roasted Brussels sprouts, fluffy and warm white quinoa, sweet dried cranberries, and crunchy chopped pecans. To bind it all together, I spontaneously whipped up a creamy, oil-free apple cider tahini dressing right there on the spot. I’ve always considered myself someone who thrives in calm, structured environments, but this salad quickly proved that theory wrong. It was an unexpected triumph, a truly happy accident that resulted in one of the most delicious and satisfying salads I’d ever made.
If you’re looking for a fresh, flavorful, and incredibly healthy addition to your meal rotation, you absolutely need to try this Brussels Sprout Cranberry Salad with its unique Apple Cider Tahini. It’s not just a meal; it’s a revelation!
The Road Trip Discovery: A Salad Worth Savoring
The next day, as we journeyed, we stopped at a charming plant-based restaurant in Pennsylvania. Dan found something appealing on the menu, which thoughtfully highlighted options as “Gluten Free,” “Vegetarian,” and “Vegan.” Despite the tempting offerings, I stubbornly declined, remembering the effort and love I’d poured into my Tupperware party the night before. There was no way I was letting that incredible salad go to waste!
Back in the car, I eagerly pulled out my red-lidded square Tupperware, fully intending to appreciate every bite. But I didn’t have to try hard at all. The moment the flavors hit my palate, I was practically swooning before we even got back on the highway. “OH MY GOD, THIS IS SO GOOD!” I exclaimed to Dan between bites, probably more times than he cared to hear. The only silver lining to finishing that first container was the comforting thought that I had two more packed for the remainder of our trip, ensuring delicious and healthy meals on the go. This salad proved itself to be the ultimate travel companion, maintaining its freshness and incredible taste even after a full day on the road.