Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato Sandwiches are a summertime favorite and when I was a kid, I couldn’t wait to enjoy the ones my mom used to make. In our house, we didn’t eat white bread, and whole grain bread seemed to hold up to the mayonnaise and juicy tomato just so. As an adult who is always trying to get more vegetables, I thought, why not use some of these same ingredients, but in a salad instead?
I love the saltiness of bacon against charred tangy tomatoes and the quinoa adds an earthiness that doesn’t always happen in a traditional BLT sandwich. The vinaigrette is a simple combination of red wine vinegar and olive oil with a drizzle of Sriracha for a little kick – not too hot.
This makes a great salad for lunch during the week or a light dinner on a hot summer night. You can cube up some rotisserie chicken for an even hardier meal, but this recipe is pretty great just the way it is.
Ingredients
6 slices bacon, cooked until crisp
1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 cup quinoa, cooked according to package directions and let cool
3 cups mixed greens
Vinaigrette
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Sriracha
pinch of salt & pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
(Serves 4)
To Prepare:
1. In a large skillet cook bacon and remove it onto a paper towel lined plate. Drain bacon fat from skillet, I usually save mine to cook with later.
2. In the same skillet, add cherry tomatoes and cook over medium-high heat, about 4 minutes. Place tomatoes in a bowl to cool.
3. In a large bowl, add mixed greens. Then, add cooked and cooled quinoa, charred tomatoes and crumbled bacon.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together vinaigrette ingredients and pour over salad. Gently toss together to combine flavors. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
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