BLT Breakfast Kale Salad

Breakfast BLT Salad

This recipe comes from one of my very favorite blogs called "Skinnytaste" (www.skinnytaste.com).  I have really been on a kale salad kick lately and I am on a mission to find the ultimate kale salad.  I loved the toppings on this salad... I used hard cooked eggs, grape tomatoes, and chopped turkey bacon.  The original recipe called for diced avocado but I had none. I substituted feta cheese and I loved that.  The thing I did not care for in this recipe was that I thought the dressing was a little bit lacking in the flavor department.  The salad is simply dressed with olive oil, red wine vinegar, as well as salt and pepper.  I used really cheap red wine vinegar and I wonder if a nicer quality vinegar could have made a difference.  I just don't know.  The recipe directions specify that the kale should be "massaged".  I think that this process is recommended to soften up the somewhat tough kale leaves. I did not really massage my kale. Instead, I put my kale, oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper, in a plastic storage container, topped it with the lid, and shook the heck out of it. I guess I was just not feeling the whole "massage your kale" thing.

Here is the recipe from www.skinnytaste.com blog.  I am sure I will make this BLT Breakfast Kale Salad again but I might try it with a different dressing. I just made up a Lemon Dijon Salad Dressing that I plan to try in another kale salad tomorrow. I am thinking this dressing might be good with the BLT Kale Salad as well.

BLT Breakfast Kale Salad

from www.skinnytaste.com

Ingredients:

• 3 cups shredded Lacinto kale (no stems)
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• kosher salt
• black pepper, to taste
• 2 large eggs
• 4 strips cooked center cut bacon, chopped (I used turkey bacon)
• 2 ounces sliced avocado (I used crumbled feta cheese)
• 10 grape tomatoes, halved

Directions:

1. In a bowl combine the kale, olive oil, vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Massage with your hands for about 3 minutes, until the kale softens.
2. Cook eggs to desired likeness (I used hard boiled eggs)
3. Divide the kale between two bowls, top with bacon, tomatoes, avocado (or feta cheese) and egg.
4. Finish with pinch of salt and pepper.

Recipe Source: http://www.skinnytaste.com/breakfast-blt-salad/

I made this salad as part of my "food prep" session the other day. I often do food prep sessions like this on the day I go to the grocery store.  On my food prep day, I made hard boiled eggs, I washed and chopped kale, I cleaned and hulled strawberries, I put celery sticks and baby carrots in water, I made ground turkey in marinara sauce to have with zoodles, and I portioned out some salads with hard boiled eggs.  In the photo you can also see a big container homemade granola; I'll have that with cottage cheese and applesauce or Greek yogurt and fruit.  Eating clean and healthy is delicious and easy!