Beet Salad
No surprise that beets are one of the healthiest foods out there, containing antioxidant phytonutrients that boast anti-inflammatory and detoxification benefits. Plus, they are quite tasty and colorful in a salad. While beet salads are trendy right now, this recipe has some unique twists with juicy orange segments, creamy ricotta, and toasty macadamia nuts.
Ingredients
- 8-10 ounces dark leafy green (baby kale, spinach, swiss chard, etc)
- 1 ½ cups, cooked and diced red beets
- 1 ½ cups, cooked and diced golden beets
- 2 oranges, segments removed
- ¼ cup fennel, diced
- 1 cup fresh ricotta cheese*
- ¼ cup macadamia or pistachio nuts, finely chopped
- olive oil
- balsamic vinegar
- salt
- pepper
*Look for fresh ricotta, or a boutique brand ricotta, in the specialty cheese case at your grocer.
Preparation
- Beets can be bought freshly prepared from many store delis. Or, to cook beets, and preserve the most nutrients, fill a steamer pot with 2 inches of water. Add beets with skin on, cover and steam for 15 minutes. Remove beets from the pot and rub the skin of with a paper towel. Let cool before dicing
- In a large bowl, toss the greens with a conservative amount of olive oil, balsamic, salt and pepper. Toss until all of the greens are well coated. Transfer the greens to a large platter or divide between plates for a nice presentation like shown in the picture.
- Sprinkle the fennel and beets over the greens. Place the orange segments throughout the beets.
- Dollop the ricotta cheese over the top of the salad, and sprinkle with the nuts.