Broccoli Salad is one of those dishes that always makes it’s appearance at family gatherings and holiday parties. And, my eyes light up when I see it… every single time.

This particular variation of Broccoli Salad (because there are many) is how we do it in the South – it’s Creamy, Rich, and Bursting with Flavor!

However, your standard Broccoli Salad recipe uses ingredients that are FULL of chemicals, GMOs, antibiotics, artificial flavors, etc. So, to make this salad healthy without losing any of the amazing flavor, I’ll be swapping low quality ingredients for high quality alternatives.

Avoiding Low Quality Bacon…

For instance, instead of using factory farmed bacon that’s been pumped with antibiotics, growth hormones, etc., I will be using Uncured, Hormone & Antibiotic Free Bacon (I found mine at Whole Foods). Remember, not all meats are created equally. When you eat factory farmed bacon (which is most of the bacon in grocery stores), you are basically eating from a pig that was most likely A) injected with growth hormones, B) given antibiotics, and C) fed a diet of GMO grains. Not to mention the fact that most store-bought bacon contains nitrates and/or nitrites, which have been linked to certain cancers, such as colon cancer.

Eating meat from a sick animal will not magically make you healthy. It doesn’t work that way. Whatever the animal was fed/given will most likely end up in the meat as well. And, that’s what you end up ingesting. Instead, opt for meats that are grass-fed, pasture-raised, hormone-free, antibiotic-free, uncured (no nitrates/nitrites), etc. Believe me, this will make a world of difference in your overall health and balancing your hormones.

What about the mayonnaise in this broccoli salad recipe?

Most store-bought mayonnaise brands contain GMOs and artificial ingredients & preservatives. For instance, Blue Plate and Hellman’s mayonnaise both contain soybean oil. Given that over 90% of the soybeans produced in America are GMO, both of these brands are very likely to contain GMO soy, which can be a hormone-disruptor.

Instead, opt for an organic brand of Mayo or the Primal Kitchen brand (which is paleo friendly & contains clean ingredients). Or, even better, make your own homemade mayo!

How I sweeten my mayonnaise sauce without refined sugar…

The sauce for the traditional broccoli salad recipe calls refined white sugar. Instead, I like to add either coconut palm sugar or Birch Xylitol (low carb option).

Healthy Broccoli Salad Recipe

Recipe by Kayla ChandlerCourse: Lunch, Dinner, Sides, SaladsDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Ingredients

Ingredients for Salad Base:
8 Slices Uncured Bacon
6 C. Broccoli Florets (about 2 heads of broccoli)
1/2 Purple Onion, chopped
1/4 – 1/2 C. Dried Cranberries
1/2 C. Unsalted Sunflower Seeds (raw or roasted)
1/2 – 1 C. Organic Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Ingredients for Sauce:
1 – 1.5 C. Mayonnaise (I used Primal Kitchen Avocado Mayo)
4-5 Tbsp of a healthy sugar alternative such as Birch Xylitol, Coconut Palm Sugar, Monk Fruit, etc.
3 Tbsp Raw Apple Cider Vinegar

Directions

For the salad base:
Cook bacon in a skillet or oven until browned. Let cool. Once cooled, crumble into small pieces.
Add broccoli florets, crumbled bacon, chopped onion, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, and shredded cheese to a large salad bowl and toss ingredients until combined.
For the sauce:
Add all sauce ingredients to a small bowl and whisk until fully combined.
Pour sauce over broccoli salad and mix until fully combined.
For best results, cover salad and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3-4 hours or overnight. The longer it marinates, the better!