Sweet & Salty Autumn Chopped Salad

Another fall evening, another delicious salad for us all to enjoy. This one has plenty of sweetness – cranberries, pears, pecans, slightly caramelized brussels – but the saltiness of the bacon evens everything back out. This salad works especially well as a chop, so don’t be afraid to dice everything pretty small!

Sweet & Salty Autumn Chopped Salad

Salad:
4 cups romaine hearts or butter lettuce
2 cups brussels sprouts, quartered
4 slices bacon
1 pear, cored & finely chopped
1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 tablespoon coconut oil

Dressing:
1/8 cup apple cider vinegar
1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt or mayo
1 tablespoon agave or honey
2 tablespoons poppyseeds
plenty of fresh cracked black pepper and a couple pinches of sea salt!

Shake everything together in a mason jar or whisk together in a bowl.

Now to make the rest of the salad…

Heat a small skillet over medium, and add the coconut oil. Once it’s melted, mix in your brussels sprouts and bacon, and let cook while you mix the rest of your ingredients in a big salad bowl. Once the bacon is crisp and the brussels are browned, remove from the pan. Add the brussels to the salad bowl, then crumble the bacon and add as well. Toss with your dressing, top with a sprinkle more of blue cheese, and serve right away.

This should make two dinner portions. I could possibly eat this entire thing on a banner night. Just sayin’.