Tasty Creamy Broccoli Salad

Adhering to a good diet is about balance! Two pieces of bacon are all you requirement for a little liberality that goes far flavor-wise. Purchase the best quality bacon you can, sans nitrate if conceivable - it'll have huge amounts of flavor and truly punch up this solid interpretation of a great side dish.

Ingredients

2 strips low-sodium bacon

1/2 cup ice cubes

1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream

1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 1/2 cups broccoli florets (about 1 pound), cut into bite-size pieces

1/3 cup golden raisins

2 tablespoons salted roasted sunflower seeds

Method

Combine the ice cubes, onions and 1 cup water in a small bowl. Let the onions soak for 10 minutes while preparing the rest of the salad, then drain and pat dry.

Cook the bacon in a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat until crispy, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain, reserving 1 teaspoon drippings for the dressing. Finely chop the bacon strips and reserve.

Whisk the buttermilk, sour cream, lemon zest and juice, reserved bacon drippings, 3/4 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste in a large bowl. Add the broccoli, onions and golden raisins to the dressing. Toss well, cover and chill for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.

Before serving, toss well and season with additional salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving dish and top with the chopped bacon and sunflower seeds.