Hello lover.
That’s some pretty good lookin’ bacon, don’t you think?
And those pecans up there? They are really special. Extra special, in fact. Want to know why?
They were toasted in bacon grease.
I’m a freak. A bacon loving freak. And this was amazing.
I didn’t even know what to call it. A salad? I guess it’s a form of a salad, but I don’t really like to associate the food I eat with the word “salad.” Because vegetables stink. Plain and simple. Sadly, salad won out in the end.
But I need to tell you about all the deliciousness going on here, especially since I couldn’t fit it in the title: crispy bacon, toasted pecans, sweet strawberries, sauteed spinach and garlic, whole wheat orzo, creamy goat cheese, caramelized onions and fresh basil. So much better than the boring, old salad you expected when you saw the title, right?
Yes, I just kept throwing things into the mix. Yes, the flavors were incredible together. Yes, everything was basically sauteed in bacon grease. And no, I didn’t share!
P.S. I could live off this.
Warm Strawberry Spinach Salad
serves 2
1/2 cup uncooked whole wheat orzo (or any other grain)
2 slices bacon, chopped
1/4 cup whole pecans
1/2 red onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups raw spinach
4 large strawberries, sliced
1 ounce goat cheese, crumbled
fresh basil for garnish
salt and pepper
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add bacon. Fry until golden brown and crispy, then remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Add pecans and toast for about 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally so they do not burn. Remove and drain on a paper towel. In the meantime, boil water for orzo and cook according to directions.
Add sliced red onion to the skillet with a sprinkle of salt and stir to coat with bacon grease. Saute until onions are soft and caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add in garlic and spinach and cook until spinach wilts. Add in strawberries and orzo and mix to coat. Season with salt and pepper, then add in pecans and bacon. Remove from heat and stir in crumbled goat cheese. Top with fresh basil to garnish if you’d like. Serve immediately. It tastes good cold too!
The world is a better place with bacon grease. True story.
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what a combo! good looking salad to me!
Looks so restaurant worthy. Seriously, I think you should go on Top Chef or something
Oh meeee oh my! This looks INCREDIBLE and includes all my favorite ingredients! This is perfect for a spring bbq… or for dinner this weekend
Oh yeah, this one’s for me. Love this!
This looks something like my great grandma would have made. Please take that as a majorah compliment. She was the best cook in the world.
This looks like a plate of heaven to me.
this is obviously healthy because of the fruit and veggie component….I heard that eating a strawberry after a piece of bacon unleashes secret powers within bacon, making it healthy.
Just a thought!
Now that’s my kind of salad too!
Um…yes, please.
Great way to make a meat loving man eat salad!
Ahh! Happiness. Served. I want to eat this all the live-long day.
This looks delicious! I have all of these ingredients at home right now too!
And I agree, life is better with bacon grease:-)
Oh my gosh…this looks incredible!! I can’t wait to try this!
oh em gee. this looks freakin amazing. strawberries with pecans & bacon? strawberries with mango? such great flavor combinations!
youre pretty amazing. i want to eat pretty much everything you make. like right now.
I expect at least one recipe a week that involves bacon from you. Or at least an overly laden chocolate dessert. You never, ever let me down
Just wait for tomorrow.
what’s the phrase? love peace and bacon grease! haha!
Sounds about right to me.
Been such a big fan (and silent lurker) of your blog for so long-finally had to comment when I saw this salad. I immediately sent the link to my boyfriend and we both can’t wait (for me) to make it this weekend.
That looks absolutely incredible!
I so loving the idea of toasting the pecans in bacon grease. This sounds great!
The things you manage to pair with bacon never cease to amaze me. Somehow they all look super tasty! I could really go for some bacon right now actually…
That’s a unique combo! It sounds wonderful. I love orzo, it’s so creamy. Goat cheese sound so good. I would even consider gorgonzola on top! Mmmm!
YUM! Looks delcious!! I’m going through and making a grocery lsit as I’m go through blogs! I am writing this one down for sure!
Bacon and nuts! Yum!
As I read all the yummy components of this salad, I literally made this face: O.O
It all sounds sooo delicious! Between the goat cheese and the pecans toasted in bacon grease, this is such a fantastic idea. Genius!
I would do anything for a bite of that salad right now! Note to self: hungry is not a good time to visit this blog.
I need to make this ASAP! Who could have thought a salad would look so good!
I’m on Spring Break from work this week and the one thing I made time for in the morning was frying up some bacon. Instead of a morning workout… bacon made me happy and energetic. It’s science. Bacon is amazing!
I’m on Spring Break this week from work and I made sure I made time for one thing every morning…frying up some bacon. Instead of a morning workout, bacon made me happy and energetic. It’s science. Bacon is amazing!
I’m on Spring Break this week from work and I made sure I made time for one thing every morning…frying up some bacon. Instead of a morning workout, bacon made me happy and energetic. It’s science. Bacon is amazing! And you best believe I saved that grease to add a pop of flavor to any dinner!
MAN that looks DIVINE!
You have some mad photography skills. Your pictures are out of this world!
I guess if you are going to give something a name that has ‘salad’ in the title…you better start the post with a picture of some nice crispy bacon. You are my kinda lady!
Love the mixture of flavours, it sounds like heaven!
Wow. that looks delish! How do you cook your bacon? (I’ve set my smoke alarm off twice trying to cook it ;/)
salty bacon plus sweet strawberries sound soooo good. this is like a panera salad on steroids – and a million times better
OH MY GOSH!!! this looks sooooooooooooooooooo good!!!!! Im making this for dinner tomorrow!! holy!
Yes, bacon please and the rest of the salad LOL it looks delicious and so yummy!
Sold! Making this next week!
Ok, this seriously looks amazing. I cant wait to try out the recipe!
jessica, my mouth literally is watering! and it’s 12:15am and now i need a munchie snack!! pecans sauteed in bacon grease–now that is a first for me…wow!
You had me at bacon!! Looks amazing.
Delish! This salad sounds awesome.
This salad looks incredibly delicious!
Oh my frigging God.
That’s all I can say right now. The ingredient list wiped out all coherent thought.
makingthismakingthismakingthis.
thankyouthankyouthankyou.
I made this tonight with bulgur because my orzo was bad. Yum! This was delicious. I highly recommend this recipe.
So glad you liked it Robin!
I just made this as a salad without the orzo and without the spinach. I added a little balsamic vinegar to the dressing and poured everything over a bed of lettuce. This is scrumptious.
Definitely making this for dinner soon! My husband will love you (more than he already does)
Just made this tonight (used quinoa instead of orzo though). It was delicious! Mmmm!
~Your recipes always catch my eye on PW. I subscribed today, and am trying the recipe to take to a baby shower tomorrow.
Thank you for sharing :}
Thank you!
I am totally in love with this. I have to admit when I saw this I craved it for about a week before I made it. Then when I made it, I was a little disappointed maybe it was the fact that I can’t eat full fledge fat bacon, I have to use turkey bacon, do you know if that could have affected it, any input would be great! I do love all that you put up, and can’t wait to try a few more.
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