Leafy Sprouts Salad with Sorghum Chili Vinaigrette

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The other thing everybody talks about in January, I mean, besides resolutions and, well, this year in mainland America, the pipes-freezing cold that stretches all the way from the Upper Pennisula to our version of it here in Tennessee, is sickness.

Alfalfa Sprouts

Everybody’s sick. Or if you aren’t sick, you’re getting over being sick or trying desperately not to get sick, and so, in the name of boosting immunity for you, you, and all of us, maybe it’s time to talk about sprouts? I love sprouts. I mean, I looooove sprouts.

Sprouts are fresh and crunchy and weirdly easy to learn to enjoy, even if the first time you ever ate them was when you were, oh, in your late 20s. They run a little pricey in the produce section (although you could always grow your own), so buying a container of them at the store feels like a luxury, sort of like buying a cherry chocolate bar, but in a tossup between the two, while of course I’d choose the chocolate, the sprouts would come very close (what? I know.).

Also, to be fair, the sprouts last a while; sometimes I’ve said to Tim, “They keep coming and coming, like we’ve got an oil at the Widow of Zarephath’s situation on our hands!” He usually laughs because he’s kind like that.

Leafy Sprouts Salad Sorghum Chili Vinaigrette

Sprouts are super concentrated in vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals, having been harvested in their young, sprouting stage of growth—In alfalfa sprouts, for example, you get Vitamin K (good for blood clotting!), Vitamin C (go immunity!), and, here’s an important one, phytoestrogens, which may reduce your risks for all kinds of diseases bigger than winter colds, such as heart disease, cancer, and osteoporosis, according to Michael T. Murray, author of Encyclopedia of Healing Foods.

Encyclopedia of Healing Foods (via Amazon)

One of the big nutritional components that people are also always talking about with broccoli sprouts is the sulforaphane, which, I know, is another big word that doesn’t come up in regular conversation, but it’s worth knowing because it works against cancer, according to a study from John Hopkins.

Anecdotally, I can tell you sprouts are probably the #1 food in the entire world that I am guaranteed to feel an energy boost after eating. Mark it down, documented fact, Shanna Mallon, age 31: Sprouts make me feel good!

Leafy Sprouts Salad Sorghum Chili Vinaigrette

You can put sprouts in smoothies, you can put sprouts on sandwiches, you can pile them on a plate with a little salt and go to town (surprisingly delicious!). Also, as we did in this recipe, you can add them to a leafy green salad with a crazy, complex, tangy, spicy, sweet vinaigrette.

My brother-in-law said it was one of the best salads he’s had in a long time. Actually, he stopped eating, looked at us both across the table, and then said it was one of the best salads he’s had in a long time, with such authority and confidence, I laughed out loud. He was right, though. This is some salad.

Leafy Sprouts Salad with Sorghum Chili Vinaigrette

Serves 4

I’m not kidding when I say, one bite into this salad, Tim’s brother exclaimed something about how it was the best salad he’d had in a while (nor am I kidding about the fact that such an exclamation is really saying something when it comes from a salad lover like either of those two). Sweet and rich from the sorghum, deeply tangy from the balsamic, and just a little hot from the chili powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne, this salad’s dressing is a showstopper—a wonderfully flavorful way to enjoy a big bowl of fresh greens and sprouts.

Ingredients:

  • 3 to 4 cups (175 g) roughly torn organic green leaf lettuce (about 1/2 a head)
  • 1 cup (33 g) alfalfa sprouts (or broccoli sprouts)
  • 1/2 (35 g) raw beet, sliced paper thin
  • 1/4 (32 g) white or yellow onion, sliced thinly
  • 1 (35 g) small Roma tomato, sliced

For the Dressing:

  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon sorghum syrup (sometimes called sorghum molasses; alternative: maple syrup)
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon chili powder
  • Dash of smoked paprika
  • Dash of cayenne
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

  1. In a large (3- to 4-quart) serving, mixing, or salad bowl, combine torn lettuce, sprouts, sliced beets, sliced onion, and sliced tomato.
  2. In a separate, small bowl, vigorously whisk together dressing ingredients until fully combined.
  3. Pour dressing over salad mixture; salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Notes

As I girl born and raised in Chicago, the first time I heard of sorghum was when the man eight hours south of me mentioned it on one of our long-distance phone calls. Being in Tennessee, Tim had ready access to sorghum, I now know, as it’s easy to find at most grocery stores and food purveyors.

As far as I know, however, it’s still tough to find in most parts of the country, although it is available online—this one is the one we buy, and I am totally nuts about its rich flavor. (If you want to know more about it, here’s a post Tim wrote about it just a week or so after we first met.

For me, looking at it is a fun trip down memory lane; for you, it might be more interesting for the nutritional info.

About Shanna Mallon

Shanna Mallon is a freelance writer who holds an MA in writing from DePaul University. Her work has been featured in a variety of media outlets, including The Kitchn, Better Homes & Gardens, Taste of Home, Houzz.com, Foodista, Entrepreneur, and Ragan PR. In 2014, she co-authored The Einkorn Cookbook with her husband, Tim. Today, you can find her digging into food topics and celebrating the everyday grace of eating on her blog, Go Eat Your Bread with Joy. Shanna lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with Tim and their two small kids.

22 thoughts on “Leafy Sprouts Salad with Sorghum Chili Vinaigrette”

  1. Love everything about this- the photos are gorgeous, the salad looks delicious, and SORGHUM! My not-so-secret is that sorghum is one of my favorite sweeteners. I only knew about it because my grandmother’s swedish rye bread used it (other than that, I thought the plant grew solely for the purpose of fuel and feeding animals…)

    Reply
    • Interesting! Seriously, when I was growing up in Illinois, I had never, ever heard of it. Your grandmother knew what was up!

      Reply
  2. Beautiful photos, and I totally share your love of sprouts! There is a local restaurant that includes them in almost every dish, if you’re ever in Charlotte maybe we can have a sprouts lunch together 🙂 Also, a belated congratulations on your book! I have been majorly off the grid but am super excited for you guys!! xo!

    Reply
    • A restaurant that uses sprouts in almost every dish!? Sign me up! And, Megan, yes! I would love to eat there with you! : )

      Reply
  3. Shanna, now, if Tim’s brother (Nathan, right?) claimed that this was the best salads he’s eaten, I’d believe it. The Mallon brothers seem to be understated people who only make claims they really believe. I haven’t had sprouts in my salads in a while, but since its HOT HOT HOT in Argentina right now, I might just do so one day! Keep warm dear friend!

    Big warm hug,
    F.

    Reply
  4. I was looking at a whole range of sprouts in the shop earlier and wondering if I should do something with them – here is my answer! Love the sound of that sweet and spicy dressing too.

    Reply
  5. sprouts do feel like luxury and it gives instant satisfaction after I eat it. I love putting them in between sandwiches or wraps. lovely salad and I have to look for this sorghum syrup, never heard of it.

    Reply
  6. This is fantastic! I love sprouts and always have, but I rarely buy them, probably because of the price. 😉 My mom tells a story about me as a little kid, maybe 2 or 3, eating sprouts plain by the handfuls. 🙂

    Reply
  7. I’ve been really into homemade vinaigrettes lately, and this one sounds like a great balance of sweet and spicy! I’m gonna have to try it out on a few different salads!

    Reply

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