Vegan BLT Salad with Avocado

Ease of Preparation: Medium
Yield: 2 servings

Transform a classic sandwich into a healthy, filling salad with this Vegan BLT Salad featuring crispy roasted coconut flakes to stand in for the traditional bacon. Pile on some cherry tomatoes for a hint of tartness, sugar snap beans for sweet crunch, lettuce, of course, creamy ‘green goddess’-style vinaigrette, top the whole thing with smoky grilled avocados for a rich, buttery finishing touch. Quick question… can a salad be better than a sandwich?

Ingredients:

For the avocado-lemon dressing:

• 1 lemon, juice
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) smoked paprika
• ½ cup chopped parsley
• 1 ripe avocado, seeded and peeled
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) water
• 3/4 cup (180 mL) avocado oil

For the coconut bacon:

• 1 ½ cups (360 mL) unsweetened large flake coconut
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) avocado oil
• 2 teaspoons (10 mL) smoked paprika
• Salt and pepper

For the salad:

• 2 ripe avocados, seeded, peeled and halved
• Oil, for the grill pan
• 4 cups (946 mL) loosely packed arugula or frisee
• 1 ½ cups (360 mL) cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 ½ cup3 (360 mL) sugar snap peas, ends and fibrous strings removed, thinly sliced on a bias
• Coconut Bacon
• Dressing

Special equipment:

• Cast iron grill pan

Method:

For the avocado-lemon mayo dressing:

Add lemon, garlic, avocado, parsley, soy, paprika, salt and pepper, and water, and blend until smooth.

While the blender is running, add the oil in a slow steady stream to make a ‘mayonnaise’.  Reserve the dressing for the salad.

For the coconut bacon:

Preheat your oven to 325 F (160 C).  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

In a large bowl, combine the coconut flakes, soy sauce, maple syrup, oil, and paprika, season with salt and pepper, then gently toss until the coconut flakes are evenly coated with the seasonings.

Spread out the mixture onto the lined baking sheet in an even layer.

Bake for 7-8 minutes, stirring if needed, then remove from the oven and let cool completely.

For the salad:

Heat a grill pan over medium high heat until quite hot.  Brush both the pan and the avocado lightly with oil, then grill the avocado halves for about 2 minutes per side, or until they develop nice grill marks.

Toss the greens, tomatoes, and snap peas with some of the dressing, then arrange the greens on a serving dish.  Top greens with tomatoes and snap peas.  Garnish with coconut bacon, arrange the grilled avocados around the dish and drizzle on a bit more of the dressing.