Marie Saba

From My Kitchen To Yours

Poor beets. They get such a bad rap. (Just mentioning them makes John cringe.) It’s too bad because beets are nutritional powerhouses — filled with folate (listen up pregnant women), manganese, potassium, fiber, vitamin C, iron and copper — without a lot of fat, carbs, or calories.

The best part? Beets are so easy to cook: Just double wrap in foil and roast! For a full demonstration, check out this video for Roasted Beet Salad on my YouTube Channel, Marie’s Kitchen. After the beets are roasted, let them cool, then unwrap and hold under running water. The beet skins slip right off into the sink and down the drain, and the running water keeps your hands from turning red in the process!

My favorite way to enjoy beets is on this Roasted Beet Salad. Simply roast the beets in the oven (click here for a demonstration), and then sprinkle slices over a green salad with salty cheese, crunchy nuts, and a punchy vinaigrette.

For other salad ideas, check out our other family favorites: Marinated Broccoli Salad, Caesar Salad, or Kale Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette. Can’t wait to hear how you like ’em!

Roasted Beet Salad

Ingredients

2 large red beets (without greens)
4-5 ounces mixed greens
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
4-6 ounces feta or goat cheese
1/3 cup (60 g) chopped walnuts, pistachios or pecans
1/2 cup (100 g) extra virgin olive oil or nut oil
3 Tablespoons (45 g) white balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 F (218 C). Wash beet thoroughly under running water and then pat dry with paper towels. Wrap each beet twice in aluminum foil. Place wrapped beets in a baking dish. Roast in the oven for 1 to 1 ½ hours, or until beets are soft.
When beets are cool enough to handle, remove aluminum foil. Working with one beet at a time, hold beet under running water and gently pull off skin, letting it fall into the sink. Slice beets into ½-inch (1.3 cm) thick slices, and then either slice each circle in half or cut into cubes.
Place mixed greens on a large salad platter. Add halved tomatoes, crumbled cheese and nuts. To make dressing, in a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. When ready to serve, add beets to salad, whisk dressing again and pour over top. Serve immediately.

Make-Ahead Tips:

Beets can be roasted up to 2 days ahead. Store in the refrigerator in an air-tight container.
If you make the salad ahead, leave off the beets until ready to serve. (The beet juice will turn the cheese pink.) For the same reason, if you toss the salad, toss it and then add the beets.

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