I’ve been hearing a lot lately about the benefits of beets, though I have to say that they have never been one of my favorite vegetables. I don’t really like them in juice (they always seem to make it taste like dirt), or as a side dish by themselves (kind of slimy when steamed). I tend to add them to salads so they will blend right in with the dressing and all of the other flavors.
I had some steamed beets that needed to be used, and so I got ready to create something with them. My thought process went something like this:
“What am I going to do with these things? Hmmm… let’s see what other people have made with them. Beets & fresh orange? Yuck. Goat cheese? Nope. Spinach? I’ve already made green salad. Balsamic? Definitely. “
“What else would taste good with the dirty beet taste? Something colorful – oh, pickled carrots are good. And onion – the sharp taste will blend well with the earthy beets. And nuts – I have some almonds. Let’s toast them with some pumpkin seeds.”
And so this great salad was born. I didn’t measure, so here is what I combined, and you can add in the amounts that you like of each of these things ~
It went perfectly with this lunch of quinoa salad and a tossed green salad.
Spring Beet Salad
- Steamed beets
- Pickled carrots (or other pickled veggies, olives or dill pickles)
- Sliced red onion
- Balsamic vinegar
- Tamari
- Toasted chopped almonds and pumpkin seeds
Mix together the beets, pickled carrots and red onion.
Whisk or shake the balsamic and tamari (I started with a couple of tablespoons of each, and you can add more of one or the other. Remember that the pickled veggies or olives will add to the acidic taste), then toss with the beet mixture.
Pan toast the almonds and pumpkin seeds for a few minutes, until they have a nice toasted smell, but keep stirring them so they don’t burn. Place them on top of the beet salad.
Kelli's Vegan Kitchen 