3. Without chopped eggs, this recipe highlights the taste of the potatoes, and doesn't add the additional fat and cholesterol that egg yolks contain. If you want to boost the protein content of this dish, add hard-boiled chopped egg whites.
Broccoli Salad Recipe
- 2 heads fresh broccoli
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 1/2 pound bacon
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 3/4 cup sliced almonds
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Cook bacon until crispy. Let cool then crumble. Cut the broccoli into bite-sized pieces, then combine broccoli, bacon, onions, raisins and almonds. Whisk mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar together. Pour dressing over broccoli salad and stir to combine. Chill in refrigerator before serving.
Healthy Recipe Makeover: Broccoli Salad
- 2 heads fresh broccoli
- 1 bunch scallions*, chopped
- 2 slices center-cut bacon, baked until crispy and drained on paper towels
- 1/2 cups seedless red grapes, cut in half
- 3/4 cup toasted natural almonds, sliced
- 1 cup fat-free Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons homemade mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons vinegar (white wine or cider)
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Pinch of salt
- Zest of half a lemon
- Juice of half a lemon
Combine broccoli, scallions, grapes and almonds in a bowl. Whisk together yogurt, mayonnaise, vinegar, pepper, salt, lemon zest and juice. Drizzle over broccoli and toss to combine. Chill in refrigerator before serving.
*The flavor of scallions is more mellow than raw red onion; it adds a hint of onion flavor without overpowering the other flavors (key because we're using less bacon and less fat overall in the makeover recipe). But, if you prefer red onions, use those instead.
More: How Many Calories Are in a Salad?
Why The Makeover Recipe Is Healthier
1. The center-cut bacon still gives you the smoky, salty pork flavor and crisp texture that's key to broccoli salad, but, surprisingly, it only contains 30 to 35 calories and 2.5 to 3 grams of fat per slice. The makeover recipe uses far less bacon than the traditional recipe, and the two slices of center-cut bacon only adds just over 60 calories to the entire salad, not to mention a ton of flavor.
2. Nonfat Greek yogurt adds creamy, tangy notes without any added fat, far fewer calories, and less sodium than 1 cup of store-bought mayonnaise. An added bonus: Greek yogurt contains more calcium and protein than ordinary mayo. To add a touch of richness to the recipe, add a small amount of homemade mayonnaise. Making your own mayo is easy, quick, and allows you to control the quality of the eggs and oil that you use as well as the amount of salt and sugar (did you know that several popular pre-made mayonnaise brands contain added sugar?).
More: How to Make Your Own Mayonnaise
3. The lemon zest and juice adds freshness; its citrus notes contrasts the creaminess of the dressing well, making the dish taste lighter. Lemon is also used here in place of too much additional salt (there's less sodium in the makeover recipe because it uses much less bacon) because it helps enhance all of the other flavors in the salad. Using natural almonds as opposed to salted almonds also reduces the overall sodium content, but still provides a slightly sweet, nutty flavor and crunchy texture.
4. Substituting fresh red grapes for the raisins helps trim calories, as 1/2 cup of fresh grapes contains about 60 calories, versus about 250 calories for 1/2 cup of raisins.
More: Healthy Bacon Barbecue Beef Burger Recipe
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