Although it’s true autumn is just around the corner, it’s still hot as blazes here in Atlanta and the humidity is a force to be reckoned with. In self defense, it’s too hot to do much cooking so I rely on lots of main dish salads to get me through the dog days of August, like my Quinoa Salad with Kale, Fresh Peaches and Toasted Pecans and my favorite Pasta Salad and the yummy Raw, Vegan, Veggie Pasta Salad Extravaganza!
But today? BLT Salad. Because…. .bacon. Can I get an AMEN?? This is one of my favorite super simple salads, chock full of flavor and crunch. Maybe it will become one of your favorites too! Even kids love BLT Salad {well, maybe after they pick out the onions or tomatoes} 🙂
This is so easy to make, you’ve probably got most of the ingredients on hand right now. I love me a good BLT but since we’re eating clean and are pretty much gluten and grain free for the time being, I’m learning to satisfy my cravings a little differently and with this recipe, different is so good! I hope you enjoy BLT Salad as much as I do! 🙂
BLT Salad
- 1 head Romaine lettuce
- 1 large ripe tomato
- 1 ripe avocado
- ½ cucumber
- ½ sweet onion (like Vidalia)
- 2 ears fresh corn, cooked (about 1 cup kernels)
- 6 pieces uncured bacon, cooked
- ½ cup grated cheddar cheese
- 1 cup homemade croutons (I use gluten free bread for these)
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Wash and dry romaine, chop into bite sized pieces and place in a large bowl.
- Chop the tomato, avocado, cucumber and onion. Layer on top of romaine.
- Remove kernels from corn and add to bowl.
- Grate and add the cheese. Refrigerate salad until ready to serve.
- Add the croutons right before serving. To make croutons: Cube your bread and toss with about ¼ cup of oil or melted butter. Place on a sheet pan. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes. Stir. Bake 10 minutes more till golden brown and crisp. Remove from oven and cool.
Balsamic Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup organic balsamic vinegar
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 large clove garlic, minced or put through a garlic press
- 2 tablespoons honey, agave syrup or Raw Coconut Nectar
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Whisk all ingredients, except the olive oil, together in a bowl or a mason jar.
- Add the olive oil and mix thoroughly with a fork till fully emulsified. Or, do what I do and use a handy little Milk Frother
or whizzer to make short work of emulsifying. It’s one of my all-time favorite, can’t live without kitchen gadgets.
- Pour dressing over salad, toss and serve.
Kate’s Tips
- Any dressing you like will work on this salad from honey mustard to ranch to a good thick blue cheese dressing.
- Sometimes I use feta or goat cheese instead of cheddar but any cheese works great.
- Add toasted pecans for a little extra protein and added crunch.
- If you don’t want to use romaine, that’s perfectly fine in fact, iceberg lettuce would be really great in this salad or whatever lettuce you love.
Zucchini Fries
