This sweet potato bacon salad falls into a category of one dish meals as it contains pretty much everything needed for a good quality meal, namely fats, proteins and carbohydrates. Sweet potatoes are indeed very versatile and can be eaten as sides, desserts or added into salads; plus there is an added bonus as they are very rich in carotenoids, manganese, potassium as well as vitamins C and B6. According to the Ayurvedic principles of nutrition each meal should include six different tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent and astringent. In this salad I tried to incorporate all of the principles: vinegary-tasting olives and crispy bacon pair nicely with sweet potatoes and pomegranate seeds, each of them adding their unique flavour to the salad. Pungent garlic and fresh herbs are added to help balance doshas.

Sweet Potato Bacon Salad

 

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Author: Zesty Paleo

Ingredients

• 1 pound sweet potatoes or yams
• 2 to 3 bacon strips
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 10 to 15 green or black olives, pitted
• Handful pomegranate seeds
• Handful basil leaves, whole or roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• For dressing:
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon ginger powder
• 1 tablespoon honey
• Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Arrange the bacon strips on a baking sheet and place in a cold oven on the middle rack. Fix the oven to 390F and bake the bacon for 15 to 20 minutes or until the desired crispiness is reached.
2. In the meantime wash the sweet potatoes and cut them into 1 inch pieces.
3. Place the potatoes in a mixing bowl and coat with 2 tablespoons of the coconut oil and garlic powder.
4. Remove the prepared bacon from the oven and decrease temperature to 350F.
5. Arrange the potatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place in the oven for 15 minutes.
6. After the time has elapsed, turn the potatoes over and cook for 10 more minutes. They should be well cooked but not mushy, set aside to cool.
7. In the meantime whisk together all the dressing ingredients and set aside.
8. Remove skin from the potatoes and cut them into cubes, chop the bacon coarsely.
9. Transfer all the ingredients into a salad bowl, add the olives, pomegranate seeds, basil leaves, and the dressing. Add the bacon just before serving to preserve its crispiness.
10. Mix gently and enjoy!

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