Week 6--Beets

Beets weren't exactly my favorite vegetable growing up.  In fact, I despised them so much I would vomit when my mom would force fed them to me.  I still can't handle juiced or boiled beets, probably because they remind me of those bad childhood memories.  I have come to appreciate beets much more now that I've learned how to roast them and even to enjoy them raw.  I love the combination of roasted beets with goat cheese and walnuts, a match made in heaven.  Add to this the bitterness of arugula and you've got yourself an orchestra of flavors that will send your palate flying.

Beets are a source of phytonutrients called betalains which provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and detoxification support.  In a recent study beets were shown to be an especially important contributor of two carotenoids in the overall diet:  Lutein and zeaxanthin which are known health support molecules particularly with respect to eye health and common age-related eye problems involving the macula annd the retina. (Source:  http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=49)

Today's recipe is a Roasted Beet Salad with Arugula and Balsamic Vinaigrette. This recipe was inspired by one found in one of my favorite cookbooks:

I made some modifications to suit my dietary needs and taste buds but otherwise stuck pretty close to it.  Here is what you will need:

Ingredients


4 large beets, peeled, and quartered (Note:  Do not discard greens!  Clean and chop for use in other recipes.  I threw mine inside a chili I was working on and the sweetness of the beet greens helped tone down some of the spiciness of the chili )
6 to 7 cups of arugula, trimmed
1/4 red onion, sliced
1/2 cup of crumbled goat cheese
1TB Olive Oil (for roasting beets)
salt
pepper

Vinaigrette

1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar
1tsp dijon mustard
2 cloves of garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
Juice of half orange

Directions


1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a roasting pan combine beets, olive oil, salt and pepper and roast for approximately 30 minutes or until tender. (Note, I roasted my beets alongside some cauliflower to make use of the space in my roaster.  I will use the cauliflower in a different recipe).

3. While beets roast, prepare vinaigrette by combining all ingredients in a small bowl and whisking until smooth.
4. When beets are done roasting, transfer them to bowl with dressing and let them "soak" it up.
5. Arrange arugula, onions, and goat cheese on a flat platter
6. Top with beets and all the dressing.
7. Enjoy!