Strawberry Salad with Coconut Bacon & Black Pepper Vinaigrette

Strawberry Salad with Coconut Bacon & Black Pepper Vinaigrette

Fresh mixed herbs and greens, sweet in-season strawberries, crunchy almonds and pepitas, and smoky coconut bacon — all dressed with zingy black pepper vinaigrette. This salad is happiness on a plate!

§  Prep Time: 20 minutes

§  Cook Time: 20 minutes

§  Total Time: 40 minutes

§  Yield: 4 large meal-sized servings

Ingredients

For the coconut bacon:

§  1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce

§  1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

§  1 1/2 teaspoons liquid smoke

§  1 1/2 teaspoons water

§  1 1/2 cups unsweetened flaked coconut

§  1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

§  1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the black pepper vinaigrette:

§  1/3 cup red wine vinegar

§  1 teaspoon granulated sugar

§  3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

§  1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

§  1/4 teaspoon salt

§  2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

For the salad:

§  1 (5-ounce) package herb blend salad greens

§  Coarse salt and black pepper to taste

§  2 cups sliced strawberries

§  1/2 cup slivered almonds

§  1/2 cup roasted salted pepitas

§  1/4 cup coconut bacon, plus additional bacon for serving

Instructions

Make the coconut bacon:

1.       Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place oven rack in the center position.

2.       In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, maple syrup, liquid smoke, and water. Add the coconut and stir until the coconut absorbs the liquid. Sprinkle paprika and black pepper over the top. Stir to combine.

3.       Spread the coconut flakes in an even layer onto a large rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake until dark brown in color, 10-15 minutes. The bacon will go from perfectly browned to burnt really quickly, so after 10 minutes, be sure to keep a close eye on it. It should closely resemble the color and look of crumbled bacon when it’s done.

Make the black pepper vinaigrette:

1.       Combine the red wine vinegar, sugar, black pepper, garlic, and salt in a small mixing bowl and whisk to combine. While continuing to whisk, slowly drizzle in the olive oil to blend. Alternately, you can add all of the ingredients to a mason jar, fasten the lid securely and shake vigorously for 30 seconds until combined.

Build your salad:

1.       Place your prepared salad mix in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Add the sliced strawberries, almonds, pepitas, and coconut bacon. Toss again. Divide between 4 large serving plates or bowls and drizzle each with dressing. Serve with additional coconut bacon.for topping.

Source  https://ohmyveggies.com

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