Recipes using Balanced Bites spices Recipes using Balanced Bites spices

STRAWBERRY BACON KALE SALAD

dairy-free
egg-free
gluten-free
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Servings: 3-4

We're heading into strawberry season and bacon is always in season (am I right?!), so why not combine the two?

Better yet, this easy salad can be made in under 5 minutes if you already have some leftover bacon, but then again, who has leftover bacon? (And, you can swap out the berries easily if you can't eat them or don't have any on-hand.)

I know some of you love kale and others are still trying to find ways to work it into your lifestyle a bit more. And why not? It is one of the most nutrient dense vegetables out there. Ounce for ounce, kale has more vitamin C than an orange, loads of vitamin K1, lots of minerals, more vitamin A-precursors than any other leafy green and it's stuffed full of phytonutrients that are all only made more bio-available with the healthy fats in this recipe.

Now, I'm not one to tell you to eat kale all-day, every-day… but, I do think that keeping a good balance of colors and vegetables on your plate should always be a goal. I also recommend balancing how much raw kale and cooked kale you eat. So, if you want to enjoy this salad now and then, balance that out with some kale that's been steamed and topped with grass-fed butter, or cooked up with some bacon and/or bacon grease – delish!

One more note here: when you buy kale, it is important to buy organic, since it's on the Dirty Dozen list from the Environmental Working Group. If you've signed up for a CSA, you'll be thanking me for this recipe! Kale is usually quite abundant in CSA (community supported agriculture) shares and I know many of you are always looking for new ways to enjoy it.

So cook up some extra bacon with breakfast, tell people to keep their hands off and then you can have this for lunch or dinner!

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons sesame tahini
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice sea salt, to taste
  • 1 bunch organic Dino/Lacinato kale (about 15 stalks)
  • 1 pint strawberries, stemmed and sliced (if you can't eat strawberries, use blueberries, pomegranate seeds, or raspberries instead)
  • 8 ounces bacon, cooked, cooled and chopped

Instructions

For the dressing: combine the tahini through salt in a small bowl and whisk until well incorporated and smooth. 

For the salad: Remove the stems and thick ribs from the kale. Lay the leaves in a stack and slice cross-wise to get bite size pieces. Place the kale in a large bowl and massage with your hands for a few minutes to soften up the leaves and make them more tender. Add the strawberries and bacon to the bowl and toss to combine. Pour the dressing on the salad a little at a time, or until it is coated to personal preference.