Beet and Bacon Salad

In honor of the inimitable oleophile Paula Deen, here is my interpretation of a bacon salad using beets and herbs from the farm and lettuce from our own garden. The avocado, cheese, and bit of bacon makes this taste decadent, but it's actually a well-balanced meal.

Beet and Bacon Salad

Ingredients

1 lb beet or 1 package pre-cooked beets
4 slices bacon
¼ cup sunflower seeds
4 cups lettuce
4 scallions
½ avocado
1 tsp fresh thyme
2 oz goat cheese or feta
olive oil & red wine vinegar
salt & black pepper

Preparation
If your beets are raw, cut in 2-inch chunks. Steam for 20 minutes until fork-tender, then cut into 1-inch pieces. Chop uncooked bacon and fry until crispy, then pour out the fat and toast the sunflower seeds in the same pan.

Tear or coarsely chop the lettuce. Chop the scallions, avocado, and thyme. Crumble cheese over the top. Drizzle over the oil and vinegar to your liking. Season with salt and pepper, toss, and enjoy.

Serves 2