Bacon and Egg Salad Bowl

Almost every Saturday, my father likes to cook a big breakfast for the whole family. Either mountains of crepes which we cover with cream and apricot jam, or a good old-fashioned English breakfast. Think eggs, bacon, mushrooms, sausages and tomatoes – all fried.

While I’m always down for a fry up (especially after a few too many) my waste line certainly is not. I wanted to come up with a way to have the best of both worlds. Something that would satisfy the craving but without (all of) the guilt.

These breakfast bowls are my alternative, combining bacon and eggs with a green salad. Brought together with a balsamic dressing, they’re bound to fill and satisfy. I often have one for a lazy morning brunch or breakfast post-run.

If you’re after an alternative to bacon, smoked salmon or button mushrooms fried with garlic also make for a great breakfast salad bowl.

Bacon and Egg Breakfast Salad Bowl

Serves 1
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

2 Rashes of bacon (I use streaky)
1 Egg
1 Tablespoon olive oil or butter
1 large or 5 Cherry tomatoes
1/2 an Avocado
1 Cup baby greens – spinach/kale/rocket or a combination of them all
25gms (two slices) haloumi
Home Made Balsamic Dressing

Start by slicing the tomatoes and avocado, however you like, and add to a bowl. Next, place the mixed greens on top. By placing the greens on top, they’ll get more exposure to the hot, cooked ingredients. This will cause them to wilt slightly and become more tender.

Next, place a frying pan on low/medium heat and add the olive oil. Cut the bacon into rough chunks and add to the pan. Stir every few minutes, allowing the bacon to crisp up and brown all over. Once the bacon is almost finished, add the haloumi to the pan and cook until golden and crisp – this should take 1 – 2 minutes either side depending on the heat of your pan.

Once the haloumi is golden and bacon crisp, remove from the pan and place on top of the mixed greens. Leave for about 30 seconds, allowing the greens to wilt slightly before drizzling over the balsamic dressing and tossing.

Once the salad is dressed and tossed, it’s time to cook the egg.

To fry the egg, turn the frying pan back onto a low/medium heat and crack an egg into it. Cover with a lid and allow to cook for around a minute or until the white has become firm and yolk still runny.

If poaching the egg, either place a small pot on the stove or use the same frying pan if deep enough to full submerge an egg. Place on a low/medium heat and pour just enough boiling water in to cover an egg. Add a teaspoon of white vinegar to boiling water before gently adding the egg. I will usually crack the egg into a bowl first and slowly pour in. Turn the heat down to low and cook for around 2 minutes.

Remove from the pan and place on top of your salad. I love to cut through the yolk and mix through before eating.

This recipe is also delicious with mushrooms which you can fry with the bacon.