Thanksgiving is a time for family. It's a day when we're all encouraged to slow down, sit down, and think about what makes life worth living. It's about being thankful, grateful for the wonderful things in life. And as you know, it's also about food. 

Unfortunately, many of the foods we eat on Thanksgiving are high in calories and very high in fat. Now, I like a good bowl of mashed potatoes as much as the next girl, but I always try to have something green on my plate. That's why this year I'll be serving a nice, crunchy, raw salad that takes full advantage of an often-maligned veggie: the humble Brussels sprout. It's crunchy and tangy and a little bit sweet -- even the kids will enjoy this unique way of serving 'sprouts! 

Raw Brussels Sprout Salad with Apple and Blue Cheese 

1/4 smell red onion

2 cups Brussels sprouts

1 small apple

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Blue cheese, crumbled

Whole, shelled raw walnuts

2 tablespoons whole grain mustard

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Get out your cutting board and chop the red onion into very thin slivers. Dice the apple (except the core) and using a mandolin, shred the raw brussels sprouts. Discard the tough inner core and outer leaves.

2. In a small bowl, mix together the mustard, lemon juice, honey and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

3. Throw the brussels sprouts, apple and onion into a large bowl. Drizzle the dressing over the top and mix well. Add blue cheese crumbles to the top and sprinkle on some walnuts. To make it healthier, skip the blue cheese (and to make it even more seasonal, feel free to throw in some dried cranberries).

That's it -- three easy steps! Bon appetit!