B.L.T Pasta Salad!
Title: B.L.T Pasta Salad
Author: Britney Shawley
Recipe type: Lunch or Dinner
Prep time: 10 minute
Cook time: 15 minutes (for bacon)
Total time: 25 minutes
Serves: 4-6 people
I cant even tell you how happy this salad makes me. Mostly because it makes me think of my Mom. We used to go eat B.L.T sandwiches on Saturday mornings at Zellers (rememebr that store??) And that was some previous 1 on 1 time that I really remember and treasure. I also love this Salad becuase the first time I made it, Ella and I expereinced a bit of a magical moment that I shared more about in my instagram post (check it out here). This salad is beaming with nostalgia! And absolutely completely delicious!!! Its also simple to make 🙂 Enjoy!
Ingredients
1 box spiral pasta noodles
1/2 package of high quality bacon
1 heart of Romaine lettuce, diced really small
1/4 to 1/2 of a red onion, diced really small
1/2 a large cucumber, diced
1 or 2 roma / cherry tomatoes, diced small
1 whole avocado, diced
1/2 cup croutons (optional)
1/4 cup parm cheese (optional)
Dressing:
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup greek plain yogurt (or plain kefir)
1/2-1 of one lemon, juice
pinch red pepper flakes
pinch black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 to 2 tsp cane sugar or maple syrup
1 tsp dijon mustard
2 crushed cloves garlic
almond milk to thin
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F
- Pre-cut with scissors before placing on a pan lined with parchment paper. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes until crispy
- Boil water for pasta. Cook pasta according to the package. Rinse in cold water.
- Wash + dice up the cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, avocado and shred parm cheese if using.
- Chop up lettuce and put in a salad spinner to wash and dry completely.
- Add all of these ingredients to a large salad bowl leaving some of each of the ingredients to put on top at the end.
- In a mason jar with lid or blender, add mayo and greek yogurt + lemon + pinch red pepper flakes + pinch black pepper + salt + cane sugar + dijon + crushed cloves garlic + almond milk to thin.
- Shake or blend to emulsify. Taste it and add either lemon, salt, sugar..whatever you feel it might need. (these are rough measurements as I trust my heart when making it)
- Sprinkle a little love and then Drizzle dressing on top of all the ingredients in the bowl, mix it all together, say a little prayer, add the remaining ingredients on top plus croutons if using and enjoy!!
Saving Money:
I buy meat from butcherbox.com. Its a bit more expensive for the whole box, but immensely worth it because 1) my meat is local and pastured and raised and fed in a loving way (which matters! We ingest everything the animals we eat, eat) 2) You are spending a bit more now, to save on health later!!! 3) it tastes soooo much better and far more nutrient dense (with out the filers, additives, antibiotics) and so it will satisfy and satiate you with eating less
Quick Tips & Tools:
Tools:
baking pan, parchment paper, large bowl, mason jar, mixing spoons, knife, cutting board
Tips:
This is an excellent dish for a potluck or family meal. It is always a crowd pleaser! And its easy to keep vegan or vegetarian, just leave out the bacon. But then, in that case, it would be an L.T but that’s okay 🙂
If you are going to use this salad for a potluck or family dinner, make the sauce in a mason jar and pour it on top just before you serve to keep it fresh.
Saving Time:
Bake your bacon 🙂 Its so much faster (and easier) than pan frying it!
Food is not just fuel. Food is about family, food is about community, food is about identity.
And we nourish all those things when we eat well. – Michael Pollan
