Lately I've been on a one-woman mission to prove that Brussels sprouts are not just for Christmas. 

Often sneered at and overlooked thanks to memories of granny boiling them until they resemble mushy and bitter tasting mini cabbages, it can be hard to convince anyone that they can be a delicious part of a meal.

My preferred methods of cooking them are roasted with garlic, olive oil and salt and pepper (amazing with poached eggs for breakfast!) or sautéing in butter with garlic and chilli but the recipe below calls for them to be eaten raw. Raw you say? I know, but hear me out. The sprouts are thinly sliced and once massaged with the dressing, they act as just another green, leafy vegetable - no questionable odours to be found. 

Winter, i.e. cold and flu season is the ideal time to stock up on sprouts, as they contain more than twice as much vitamin C weight for weight than oranges, along with plenty of vitamin K, fibre and other numerous nutrients. 

Most people are aware of the health benefits of kale, with its trendy, new-found popularity over the past few years and together these cruciferous vegetables form an amazing superfood salad.

Finally, bacon has a cult-like status in Paleo circles, and although there's a lot of controversy around just how good it is for you, I say go for it. Tasty, tasty bacon - why limit it to just breakfast?

Paleo kale, bacon and Brussels sprouts salad

Serves 2

Ingredients:

For salad:

2-3 cups sliced kale

2 cups Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced (use a mandolin)

3-4 slices bacon

¼ cup roasted almonds, chopped

½ cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated (optional)

For dressing:

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

½ tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

Pinch of chilli flakes

Method

1 Bake bacon at 200c for 15-20 minutes then chop into bits.

2 Combine all dressing ingredients in a small bowl and mix.

3 Add in olive oil and whisk until combined.

4 Mix sliced kale and sliced Brussels sprouts.

5 Add in bacon, almonds and cheese (if using).

6 Pour in dressing and toss, then using your hands massage the dressing into the salad to evenly distribute.