Now that temperatures have broken 80 degrees, it's time to turn off that oven and break out the salads. While roasting vegetables does bring out a ton of unique flavors, raw salads can do the same thing. With the right combination of sweet, bitter, and salty plus a killer dressing, you can have a refreshing springtime meal. The citrusy touch to this salad gives it tons of flavor without adding fat. This salad is beautifully colorful and shockingly simple to make. 

Shredded Brussels Sprout Salad
Makes 2-4 servings 

4 cups shredded brussels sprouts (I cut mine by hand)
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 grapefruit
1/2 cup whole almonds

Citrus Buttermilk  Dressing

1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp whole-grain mustard
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp orange juice
1 tsp dried parsley
Grapefruit zest from 1/2 grapefruit
salt and pepper

Marinade the shredded sprouts in the lemon juice – I left mine overnight to soften a bit. Coarsely chop the almonds. You can use sliced almonds, but I like the texture the chunks give the shredded salad. Toss in the dried cranberries, and then cut the grapefruit into segments, removing all of the white skin. 

For the dressing, mix all ingredients together and shake well. You will have to stir around the honey so it doesn't settle on the bottom. If you don't have buttermilk on hand, use about 1/2 tsp vinegar of lemon juice instead. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes. This will be far more salad dressing than you need, but the good thing about this salad is that the sprouts rarely lose their crunch. I omitted any olive oil in the dressing to keep it light and healthy. The bit of sesame oil really does add a noticeable richness to it. 

–Marly Schuman