Grilled Tomato & Power Greens Salad

Hey there, Christine from Lattes, Life & Luggage again. You guys, this heat is killing me. I was just talking to my friend the other day that if it doesn’t let up, I’m moving to Alaska. This northerner was not meant for 100 degree days. I’ll take negative 20 over scalding heat any day. With these super hot days comes a lack of desire to cook. I don’t want to heat up the kitchen and I sure don’t want to stand on my feet for an hour to do anything. Satisfying salads become the go-to solution like this Grilled Tomato and Power Greens Salad.

I’m having a thing with grilled fruit and veggies this summer. I’ve recently discovered it and now I can’t stop. Have you ever had grilled tomatoes? They’re like the best thing since roasted tomatoes. I say “the best thing since” because roasted tomatoes don’t get that charred, grill flavor like grilled tomatoes get. And it’s not that difficult to grill them either. It seems hard because they can be really fleshy with too many seeds but I have a trick for you today. Before heating the grill, take out one of the grates. Wrap it firmly with tin foil and poke holes randomly in the foil. This will allow your tomatoes to get that grilled effect without slipping through the grates.

I don’t need a ton of stuff in my salads, even though that’s also fantastic. This one in particular just has a few extra veggies, bacon and cheese. Bacon adds a nice salty flavor to anything, especially in salads. For some reason though, the mix of flavors from the bacon, tomatoes, goat cheese and balsamic made this salad freaking phenomenal. It practically had me licking my plate when I was done. I like to get the Power Greens by OrganicGirl because they’re ready to serve and I don’t have to do any extra work. If you want or need to assemble them yourself though, just mix together equal portions of red and green chard, bok choy and arugula. You’ll be set to go. See the full recipe below:

GRILLED TOMATO & POWER GREENS SALAD
Ingredients:
5 ounce package of OrganicGirl Super Greens OR a mix of Red  & Green Chard, Bok Choy and Arugula
2 large Heirloom Tomatoes, halved and then sliced into four wedges
4 ounces Goat Cheese Crumbles
1/2 lb. Bacon, cooked and chopped
2 Carrots, shredded
1/2 cup Radishes, sliced thin
2 tbsp Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Your choice of dressing (I used a Balsamic Vinaigrette)

Directions:
1. Preheat the grill to medium-low heat and spray with cooking spray or brush with olive oil.

2. Brush the tomatoes with olive oil, season with salt and pepper then carefully place one of the fleshy sides on the grill (see note in intro for tips on grilling tomatoes). Turn to the other flesh side after about 2 minutes and let cook 2-3 minutes longer. Remove from the grill to a plate.

3. Arrange your salad. Split the greens between two large bowls or plates. Top with bacon, carrots, radishes, goat cheese and grilled tomatoes. Drizzle your choice of dressing over the salad. I prefer a balsamic vinaigrette.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 4-5 minutes
Total Time: 19-20 minutes
Yields 2 servings

This is a delicious summertime meal. It’s great as a large salad for lunch or dinner but you can also serve it in smaller portions as a side dish or appetizer.

What are some of your favorite light, summer meals?