lil carb Picnic Broccoli Salad

Watch me cook this amazing summer salad by clicking the video above!

Since we are right smack in the middle of the summer I wanted to share one of my favorite summer picnic salads.  Raw veggies are the star followed closely by fresh picked herbs and a light summer dressing.
This salad is a great substitute for the traditional picnic favs- pasta or potato salad- even though those are amazing...they have tons of carbs.  So I'm keeping it light with a low carb alternative!  This low carb salad pairs well with burgers, hotdogs, grilled chicken, really any summer dish.  Which is great because it can easily be made for a weeknight dinner as well as a potluck or a picnic!  When I bring this broccoli salad to a picnic or a BBQ I always get complimented on how great it tastes and people always want the recipes so here it is!

lil carb Broccoli Salad- Serves 8-10
 6 cups raw broccoli florets, cut into small bite size pieces
1 medium red or white onion, chopped small
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
8 slices bacon, cooked and broken into small pieces
3 Tbsp fresh chopped chives
Paprika

Dressing:
1 cup mayo
2 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 packet of Truvia or 1/2 tsp of your favorite granulated sweetener
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook the bacon until it is crispy.  Let it cool then break apart with your hands or chop into small pieces.  Toast the almond slices over a medium low heat until the nuts are fragrant.  Remove them from the heat and reserve.
Combine the broccoli, onion, almonds, and bacon into a large bowl.
In a separate bowl add all of the dressing ingredients and whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper and pour over the broccoli mixture.  Mix well and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight to get the best flavor! When you are ready to serve garnish with chives and a sprinkle of paprika.

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The broccoli and chopped onion really bring a seasonal freshness to this salad.  The toasted almonds give an alternative crunchy texture and the creamy mayo dressing along with the fresh lemon juice  marries all the flavors together.

Try this out and let me know what you think!