Warm Goat Cheese Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette

PREP TIME: 5 minutes

COOK TIME: 10 minutes

YIELD: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

• ½ pound bacon, diced
• 1 (8-ounce) log fresh goat cheese
• ½ cup pork dust (or pork rinds crushed into a powder)
• 3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons coconut vinegar or red wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons avocado oil, MCT oil, or extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 drops stevia glycerite (optional)
• 4 cups leafy greens
• ½ avocado, sliced (optional)
• ½ cup raw walnuts, for garnish (optional; omit for nut-free)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Sauté the diced bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon to a bowl, leaving the drippings in the pan.
2. Meanwhile, cut the goat cheese log into 8 medallions that are about ¼ inch thick.
3. Place the pork dust in a shallow bowl. Gently roll each goat cheese medallion in the pork dust to cover the medallions.
4. In batches, fry the medallions in the hot skillet with the bacon drippings over medium heat for 1 minute or until golden brown, then flip and fry for another minute. Remove the medallions from the skillet and set aside on a plate.
5. Add the vinegar, oil, mustard, salt, pepper, and stevia, if using, to the skillet and stir well to combine. Stir in the cooked bacon.
6. Plate the greens and avocado slices, if using, on a serving platter and top with the fried goat cheese medallions. Drizzle the bacon vinaigrette over the greens and garnish with walnuts and freshly ground pepper, if desired.