It’s about this time of year that farmers’ markets start opening their awnings here in the Twin Cities, and the bounty is beautiful and tempting. But when we get home, so often all those gorgeous vegetables look like ingredients. Ingredients for what? We don’t know!

Luckily, we’re happy to share recipes (and instructions) from the Six Degrees community. Here’s a quick, no-cook side dish that leaves ‘em wanting more… and helps you use up all the goodies in your kitchen.

Kari’s Kale and Brussels Sprout Salad

“I love how highly adaptable this recipe is—use whatever you have on hand! Plus, my husband usually hates kale, but he actually requests this salad at least once every two weeks. It’s a great side with Salmon, and I make it when we order Pizza Luce!”

Dressing: Toss together with the greens once they’re ready.

Combine 1/4 C lemon juice, ½ C olive oil, 2T dijon mustard, 1T minced shallot (about two shallot pieces), 1-2 garlic cloves crushed or grated to taste, kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste. Whisk and let sit to gather flavor while you prep the greens.

Salad: Mix together greens. Add broccoli or broccolini or any other awesome green thing you might have on hand.

Clean and chop 2 bunches of kale (about 1 to 1.5lbs). To quickly strip the leaves from kale, just grab the woody end with both hands, and use the top hand to strip the leaves by pushing it up the stem. Voila! Wash the kale and slice or chop it thinly by loosely rolling up a handful and slicing your way across (or just tear it into hunks that are small enough to eat).

Clean and slice 12oz of Brussels sprouts by peeling off leaves that look icky, then rinsing. Chop off the woody stems, slice down the middle, and shred by slicing in either direction. You’ll get sprout-ribbons!

Toppings: Get creative! At our house, the favorites are 1/3 cup sliced almonds, sunflower seeds, or pine nuts; a cup of feta cheese or shavings of parmesean, manchego, or other hard cheeses; and of course, whatever else might be hanging out in the cupboards.

Have a great summer recipe to share with your Six° community? Share it—and why you love it—with Letta! letta@pagesmithing.com