This has always been a favorite salad of mine and I shared it in The Boat Galley Cookbook. Since being diagnosed as diabetic, I have tweaked it some to make it very low carb and totally sugar-free, suitable for a keto diet as well as LCHF. It’s also gluten-free and dairy-free.
As with everything in the low-carb world, portion control and ingredient choice is critical. Yes, there really is such as thing as too many veggies, so I have to restrain myself from eating an unlimited amount.
Two ingredients of note:
Allulose sweetener: It is derived from sugar and tastes great with no weird aftertaste but is not metabolized and does not have an effect on blood sugar. It’s about 70% as sweet as sugar, so you don’t get that “too sweet” taste that some sweeteners give. And, while not a factor in this recipe, Allulose will brown as sugar does in cooking, making it great for marinades. Large quantities can cause diarrhea but small quantities such as I use in recipes here don’t. I have only found it on Amazon. While it’s pricey, if you’re eating low carb you’re not going to eat too much of it so a container will last quite a while.
- 3-pound jar of Allulose (Amazon)
- 1-pound package of Allulose (Amazon – more expensive per pound but a smaller size if you want to try it before buying a larger quantity)
If you aren’t eating keto or LCHF, you can use brown or white sugar in place of the Allulose (note that calories will then be higher).
Duke’s mayonnaise: This is the only mayonnaise that does not contain sugar or any sugar substitute It’s sold in most grocery stores, but if you can’t find it in yours, it’s on Amazon:
- Duke’s Mayonnaise (Amazon)
And one more ingredient to beware of: the bacon. Most bacon is sugar-cured and trace amounts can remain. I try to find uncured bacon and am able to about 75% of the time. If I can’t, I look for a brand with less than 1 gram of sugar per serving. Some people do spike with bacon in any form; if you do, simply omit it. It’s still a great salad.
Broccoli-Cauliflower Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 2 slices bacon
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup broccoli
- 1 cup cauliflower
- 2 cherry tomatoes
Dressing
- 1/4 cup Duke’s mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Allulose
- 2 teaspoons wine vinegar
Garnish
- 1/2 teaspoon green onion tops
Instructions
- Fry bacon until crisp, drain and crumble. At the same time, hard boil the eggs. Peel and chop the eggs when done, then let them cool while chopping the vegetables.
- Chop broccoli and cauliflower and place in small bowl. Slice tomatoes thinly and add to bowl, along with bacon and eggs.
- Just before serving, mix mayonnaise, Allulose and vinegar. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
- Pour dressing over salad and toss well.
- Optional: slice green onion top thinly and use to garnish salad.
Notes
Carolyn Shearlock has lived aboard full-time for 17 years, splitting her time between a Tayana 37 monohull and a Gemini 105 catamaran. She’s cruised over 14,000 miles, from Pacific Mexico and Central America to Florida and the Bahamas, gaining firsthand experience with the joys and challenges of life on the water.
Through The Boat Galley, Carolyn has helped thousands of people explore, prepare for, and enjoy life afloat. She shares her expertise as an instructor at Cruisers University, in leading boating publications, and through her bestselling book, The Boat Galley Cookbook. She is passionate about helping others embark on their liveaboard journey—making life on the water simpler, safer, and more enjoyable.
Simplify meal prep on board with proven strategies for provisioning, maximizing fridge space, and cooking delicious meals aboard your boat.
Melissa says
This looks delicious! I am wondering if the broccoli and cauliflower are cooked?
Carolyn Shearlock says
Nope, raw.
Dave Skolnick (S/V Auspicious) says
I do not currently suffer the challenges of diabetes. I do work hard to minimize sugar and salt. It takes a while to get used to but I now find I taste things I did not before.
With this recipe I don’t find the need for any sweetener at all. If you can’t find Dukes and do struggle with carbs or sugar making your own mayonnaise takes less than five minutes. Easy peasy.
While it blows a hole in the Keto/LCHF guidelines, croutons (also easy to make on board in that transition period between sandwich and moldy) are a nice counterpoint.