Bacon, Eggs, and Asparagus Salad

Mr. P had a work dinner thing last night, so I was flying solo. My initial thought was leftovers, but when I opened the fridge, I discovered we were all out of leftovers. This never happens and I immediately went into a slight panic.

I mostly panicked because I knew our milk had expired and thus, the ever faithful back-up plan of cereal was a no-go.

What’s a girl to do?

Then I remembered this meal from Monday night. In short, it knocked our socks off.

It was simple, it was healthy…it was eggs. And eggs, I had on hand. No asparagus or arugula, but I improvised and did not go hungry. No worries there.

Eggs are a daily topic of conversation around my dialysis units. The white of the egg is the best “complete” source of protein in the food supply because contains all of the amino acids and is a very well-absorbed protein. Plus, eggs are cheap and can be prepared many different ways and for any meal. My gal pal Gina the Candid RD just posted about eggs for dinner, too.

There was nothing about this recipe that would’ve had me throwing it only my meal plan immediately. But my friend Sarah talked this meal up SO much, that curiosity got the best of me. Phew. I would’ve been missing out.

Mr. Prevention asked what was for dinner and I described this meal. I wish I could recreate and/or photograph the look that spread across his face. He made quick decision to add some fish to the grill and throw some sweet potato fries in the oven.

*eye roll*

When I set the plate down in front of him his first response was, “This looks good!” and the second was, “This is way more food than I thought it would be…why didn’t you stop me from making all this other food?”

Well, my dear. Why don’t you just trust and believe that I rarely lead you astray when it comes to food?

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Bacon, Eggs, and Asparagus Salad slightly adapted from Kudos Kitchen by Renee and A Taste of Home Cooking

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 1/2 Tbsp sherry or white wine vinegar
2 Tbsp + 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Salt and coarsely-ground black pepper
4 large eggs
1 bunch asparagus spears, trimmed
3 strips uncured turkey bacon
3 handfuls mixed salad greens, rinsed and dried
2 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted

Directions:

To make the vinaigrette, combine mustard, vinegar, and 2 tablespoons oil in a small jar and shake or whisk to blend; set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400 F or preheat a grill. Toss with remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil, salt, and pepper and roast or grill until just cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Cook bacon on a microwave-safe plate with several layers of paper towel beneath the bacon and one layer on top. Check the bacon for doneness every 20-30 seconds. Cooking time will depend on the strength of the microwave.When the bacon is cool, chop it into bits.

In a skillet, cook eggs over-easy, making sure the yolks are still runny.

Toss the salad greens with three quarters of the vinaigrette, and arrange on each of two plates. Add half of the asparagus to each plate, along with 2 eggs each. Scatter the bacon bits and toasted pine nuts over the salad and serve immediately.

Yield: 2 servings.

Nutrition Information (per serving): 446 calories; 33 g. fat; 370 mg. cholesterol; 757 mg. sodium; 12 g. carbohydrate; 5.5 g. fiber; 28 g. protein

Result: Filling, healthy, balanced, loaded with healthy fats, fiber, and protein. This meal is perfect for spring…and those following a lower-carb lifestyle. This meal was ready in about 20 minutes. I do highly recommend grilling the asparagus, but it can most certainly be roasted. If you have a friend or significant other that is willing to take on assisting, one person can be grilling while the other is frying the eggs and then, this meal is ready in NO TIME flat. Enjoy!

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Teaching, then meetings. I hate meetings…

Be well,