Kale Beet Salad with Bacon
/This salad, heavily inspired by Juli Bauer's Candied Kale and Bacon Salad, is a wonderful platform for healthful beets. Rich in betalains which have both anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, beets are an excellent detoxifier and should be part of anyone's diet who needs detox support.
Ingredients
- ½ pound nitrate-free, preferably pastured bacon
- 8 beets of various colors, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
- 1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
- 1 bunch of lacinato kale, ribs removed and leaves thinly sliced
- ½ cup sunflower seeds, raw or sprouted
For the dressing
- juice of 1 lemon
- zest of ½ lemon
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- pinch of salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake the bacon on a broiler rack in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until crispy to your preference. Remove from oven and let bacon slices drain on a paper towel-topped plate. (Save the bacon fat in a jar in your fridge for cooking).
- Turn oven temperature up to 400 degrees and line another baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush each beet slice on both sides with coconut oil, place on baking sheet then sprinkle with sea salt. Place in oven to bake for 15 minutes, flip to other side then bake for 15 more minutes.
- Place thinly sliced kale in a large salad bowl. Rub your palms with olive oil and sprinkle kale with a little bit of salt and massage kale until tender.
- When the beets are almost done cooking, add small baking sheet of sunflower seeds to toast for 2-3 minutes taking good care not to let them burn. Set both the beets and the sunflower seeds aside.
- Mix all dressing ingredients in a mason jar and shake until completely blended. Pour half of dressing over kale and massage with your hands to completely coat the kale and help break it down.
- Chop bacon and top the kale with beets, bacon and sunflower seeds.
Enjoy!
