Grapefruit, Avocado and Bacon Salad

Grapefruit, Avocado and Bacon Salad from the Hairy Dieters is best enjoyed immediately after you’ve made it, as the ingredients can go soggy if you leave them in a lunch box. The tangy flavours and the contrast in textures make this really interesting but be warned, prepping the grapefruit and avocado can be a messy job!

You can buy pre-prepped grapefruit segments in cans or cartons, which I might opt for if making this again. It’s not that I’m bone idle (honest), my knife skills are just crap and the grapefruit was butchered by the time I’d finished with it.

If you love zingy salads like this, I’d whole-heartedly recommend quinoa, prawn and mango salad, also from the Hairy Dieters.

Recipe: Grapefruit, Avocado and Bacon Salad

Calories: 154 per portion

Serves: 2

Book: Hairy Dieters – Eat for Life

Prep time: Approx 15 minutes

Cooking time: Approx 4 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 ruby or pink grapefruit
• ½ ripe but firm avocado
• 2 large handfuls of watercress, spinach and rocket salad
• 2 rashers of rindless smoked back bacon
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp cold water
• 2 tsp good balsamic vinegar

Cost per portion: Approx £1.28

Method:

Place the grapefruit on a chopping board and slice off the top and bottom with a sharp knife. Rest the fruit on one of the cut ends and cut off the peel and pith, working your way around the grapefruit.

Next, cut between the membranes to release the segments. Put the segments in a salad bowl together with any juice that’s on your board.

Remove the stone from the avocado and use a large spoon to ease the flesh from the skin. Put the avocado flesh on a board and cut it into slices. Put the salad leaves in a bowl and toss them lightly with the grapefruit segments and avocado.

Trim any visible fat off the bacon rashers and cut them into 2cm-wide strips. Heat the oil in a small non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and fry the bacon strips in the hot pan for 3-4 minutes until lightly browned.

Take the pan off the heat and scatter the bacon over the salad. Add the water and balsamic vinegar to the hot frying pan and stir until well combined, then drizzle over the salad. Serve immediately.