never say “never” – lentil, bulgur and bacon salad

I’m SO excited…

This week I’ll be sharing my little corner of the world with some of my very favorite bloggers.

And there’s a theme and everything.

It’s called “never say never” (do you love it?).

I sometimes feel badly that there are topics that – because they are out of MY comfort zone – I never share with you, my loyal readers. So I decided to gather up  some bloggers to do it for me (isn’t that so very thoughtful?).

And what are we starting with?

Lentils.

My first guest post is brought to you by Meredith – a.k.a., The Food Yenta. Meredith is my neighbor, friend, fellow writer, and mother of my future daughter-in-law. Read the recipe, make the dish and go check out her blog.

Hi everyone! My name is Meredith and I write the blog the food yenta. I write about my favorite recipes, my kids, my dogs and farmers markets.

When Sheri e-mailed me and asked me to guest post I couldn’t say no.  Especially since she asked me to blog about lentils.

Lentils are one of our favorites. We can eat lentils for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They are to me what bacon is to Sheri (you can’t see my face right now, but there is a smile there).

I always keep cooked lentils around. I toss them with mixed greens for lunch, and rice for dinner. When Sheri told me that she was not so much a fan, I felt like I had to change her mind.

How do you change Sheri’s mind? You add bacon.

I grabbed those lentils from my fridge and started browning my bacon. I grabbed some apricots I have been playing around with and knew I could possibly change her mind.

Is this a one-bowl salad? No. But it’s worth it.

Lentil, Bulgur and Bacon Salad
by the food yenta

food yenta lentil salad

photo credit: Meredith Keltz

Salad:
1 c. uncooked French green lentils
1/2 c. uncooked bulgur
4 slices of bacon, cooked, crumbled, 2 T. of fat reserved
2 scallions, chopped
2 c. chopped kale
1/2 c. balsamic apricots
handful of mixed herbs

Vinaigrette:
2 T. (or more, to taste) juice from balsamic apricots
2 T. reserved bacon fat
salt and pepper

Prepare the lentils: Bring 3 c. water to a boil – add the lentils and simmer till soft, about 10-20 minutes. Drain any excess water.

Prepare the bulgur: Bring 1 c. water to a boil in a medium saucepan- add the bulgur, stir and remove from the heat. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes.

Make the vinaigrette: Whisk ingredients together in your salad bowl.

Assemble the salad: To the vinaigrette, add the cooked lentils and bulgur, bacon, scallions, kale, apricots and herbs. Gently toss and serve.

8 Comments

  1. Jesse @ Buckhouse on August 20, 2012 at 7:11 pm

    Bacon AND lentils? This is pure genius. Mostly because they are two of my favorite foods, together.

  2. Lisa on August 20, 2012 at 8:39 pm

    Oooh, what a lovely combo! Lentils and bacon… I’m in!

  3. Leslie on August 21, 2012 at 8:57 am

    Love lentils! Love bacon! Sounds like a good match to me!

  4. Janet @ Janet Sikirica Millinery & Fiber Arts on August 21, 2012 at 7:09 pm

    Yum! I love lentils and grew up with them (German mom!). Bacon always great with lentils. Can’t wait to create the salad!

  5. Justine on August 21, 2012 at 9:47 pm

    Wow. Lentils, bacon, and kale. I’ve never thought to do that, but I definitely will now. I so rarely eat a salad with lentils, but I love them hot, so I can see how salad is the perfect summery way to eat lentils. Thanks for sharing!

  6. Jannine on August 21, 2012 at 10:49 pm

    Wow, what a good recipe, the never say never hit me with the olives, I used to hate, hate olives, then I got pregnant and started loving olives, I gave birth and I still love olives!

  7. Lisa on August 23, 2012 at 8:12 am

    I’ve never had a lentil. Or kale. But there’s bacon so it must be good, right? Looks fab!

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Hi! I'm Sheri!

Welcome to my little corner of the web where you’ll find easy, delicious recipes, the best kitchen hacks and simple tips for turning your home into a clean haven that is free of toxins. So glad you’re here!