The BL(A)T Salad Recipe
recipe of the month: (and no, it does not involve pumpkin or apples!)
The BLT Salad, a weeknight hearty salad go-to in our family
Don’t get me wrong– Fall is my favorite time of year, but with my husband being gone this month and it still feeling like the dog days of summer where we live, I have not been craving pumpkin soup or apple baked goods.
This salad is the gold standard in our house for a weeknight meal that doesn’t heat up the house (I use the toaster oven for this) and a meal I know everyone will eat it. Take a look below to see how I took this standard American indulgence and put a healthful spin on it!
THE BLT SALAD: A deconstructed BL(A)T in a bowl, delicious! This recipe is written to be adjusted to how many people you are serving.
Bacon (I do turkey, 2-3 strips per serving)
Lettuce, 2-3 c per serving (the salad can be arugula or romaine mixed with some leafy greens!)
Avocado, about a small 1/2 of an avocado per serving, sliced
Tomato, chopped and sprinkled with sea salt, about a ⅓ c per serving (for tomato lovers)
One piece of [gluten free] toast per serving (I love Bread Seriously if you can get it–they also have a subscription service, I like this sourdough —super clean ingredients or 7-grain canyon bakehouse for the non-sourdough lover)
Chosen Foods Classic Avocado Mayo 1+ Tbsp per serving
EVOO (Extra virgin olive oil)
1 lemon or ACV (Apple cider vinegar)
Garlic Dill Pickle sauerkraut or a pickle, diced, Optional
S&P
Any other roasted veggies you want to pile on, Optional
Micro-greens or sprouts to garnish with (superfood boost!), Optional
Cook the bacon, your preferred method (I use the oven)
While you are waiting, put the lettuce, avocado, and tomato in your personal salad bowl, or a large salad bowl if you’re prepping for multiple diners
When the bacon is done, drop your bread into the toaster and slice your bacon into bite sized pieces
Top your salad with your warm bacon, toast (cut into cubes) and mayo
Drizzle your EVOO in a circle around the bowl, one circle per serving and follow with a generous couple squeezes of lemon or a couple circles of ACV around the bowl (less circles than the EVOO)
(Optional), top with the kraut/pickles and garnish with sea salt & fresh black pepper
Enjoy!
October’s Mindfulness Moment:
The subject of Mindful Eating is a passion of mine. For those of you who have been to one of my classes or talks (or follow me on instagram), you’ve definitely heard me mention just how important it is to be present when we are eating. The connection between our MIND + GUT is more powerful than we acknowledge!
“Falling leaves are nature’s way of showing us how beautiful it is to let things go.”
This month, perhaps when you sit down to your meals & pause for a few seconds before you dig in– you can acknowledge one particular area in your life where you would like to work on “letting go”.
The way you critique yourself too harshly about (fill in the blank),
The specific dish that always gets left (un-rinsed) in the sink,
The perfect job you’ve been searching for,
The dirty socks that repopulate daily on your living room floor,
The way a certain relationship has turned out
Pick one or two things to “let go” of this month and notice if your digestion, gut health and/or sleep improves in the slightest way.