OK. I admit. I'm a little biased when it comes to beets. I have yet to find a beet I didn't like. Juiced, steamed, roasted, crisped, panfried: I love them all. Fortunately for me, beets are super healthy! Beets are loaded with vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, and C. Plus, their greens are a better source of iron than spinach! Eat that Pop-eye! For this recipe, I used gold beets, which are a lot easier to work with than red beets since their juice is lighter in color and thus doesn't stain everything.
This salad has so many opportunities for improvising and using what you happen to already have on hand. The most important ingredients are: beets and blue cheese. After that, the possibilities are endless! Have fun!
Best Beet Salad Ever!
Serves 1
Salad:
2 cups beets (about 7 small beets)
1/2 sweet spanish onion (or 2 shallots), minced
2 tablespoons walnut pieces
2 tablespoons blue cheese, crumbled
1 cup beet greens and spinach, torn into bite-size pieces (mix the two greens to your liking)
Dressing:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon mustard
1/2 teaspoon maple syrup
salt and pepper to taste
- Wash the beets well. Steam them for about 30 minutes or until a fork can easily pierce them (cooking time will vary based on the size of your beets). Cool until you can easily handle them. Slip their peeling off by rubbing it with your fingers. Slice the beets and place in a medium-sized bowl.
- Add the onion, walnut pieces, crumbled blue cheese, and greens to the bowl. Toss.
- In a separate bowl, add the dressing ingredients. Whisk together. Adjust seasonings to your liking.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Initially, use less dressing than you normally do, taste, and add more dressing if you need. The balsamic dressing should enhance the flavors of the salad, not hide them. Enjoy!
Labels: Beets, Cheese, Gluten-free, Spinach, Walnuts
