APPLE, BEET AND ARUGULA SALAD
This recipe comes to us from my friend Michele, who is an amazing cook, writer, mother, wife ....well she is just pretty amazing all around. She grows her own fruits and vegetables in her backyard and even has a chicken coop. A CHICKEN COOP!!! IN SAN DIEGO!!! She manages to have a full-time job, two kids, a husband, and has a small self-sustained farm in her backyard... and I am over here thinking I am pretty amazing if my kids just get a bath every day. She made this salad the other night and I couldn't stop shoveling it into my mouth. How do you know a salad is amazing? When full grown men are pushing aside their perfectly cooked rib-eye steaks to make room on their plates for more salad. That's right folks, I saw it happen with my own eyes. So below is a note from Michele as well as her amazing, delicious, healthy salad recipe:
I was always scared of beets. The first time I tried them they were out of a can, resembled that strange cranberry jelly you see at Thanksgiving, and tasted mostly of dirt. About a year ago I signed up for a local produce CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), each week a box full of beautiful local organic produce would show up at my door and I got to create some new and amazing things. One week I opened the box and it was full of large red beets. I put the lid back on and counted to 10. When I opened the box again they were still there. I was stumped. So I did some research and learned that the best way to prepare beets is to roast them. They are so good this way I've yet to try any other preparation. I actually make sure I always have beets growing in my garden and frozen ready to use portions in my freezer.
The process is pretty simple. You wash your beets, trim off the greens and clean up any excessive amount of root left on the bulb, but leave the skin on. Take a square of aluminum foil put just a bit of sea salt and olive oil down and place the beet on top of it. Wrap the foil around it so it looks like a Hershey kiss, and put it in the oven. I've learned a few things in my beet roasting time, first it is best to wrap each beet individually, second even if you have more beets than you need for your recipe roast them all (they freeze really well), and third vary your roasting time—small beets are not the same as big beets! I usually turn the oven to between 375-415F, based basically on my mood and how hot the house already is. For beets under 2 inches in diameter I’d check them at 30 minutes. For beets 2-3 inches about 50 minutes to an hour, and monsters bigger than 3 inches I’d go an for an hour and a half before peeking in on them. Your beets should pierce easily with a fork but not fall apart. Once out of the oven let them rest a little bit. You can wait for them to cool completely, but I don’t wait very well. When I open the foil pouch I like to pour the beet juices that have collected in the bottom into a cup to reserve for making sauces and dressings. Take a fork and knife (butter knife will do) and simply scrape the skin off the beets; they should come off with little to no resistance.
Now that you have your roasted beets you are ready to make any number of delicious, healthy dishes. My favorite dish to make with beets is this salad that incorporates arugula, apples, and citrus. I promise if you give it a try it will make you fall in love with beets.
I was always scared of beets. The first time I tried them they were out of a can, resembled that strange cranberry jelly you see at Thanksgiving, and tasted mostly of dirt. About a year ago I signed up for a local produce CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), each week a box full of beautiful local organic produce would show up at my door and I got to create some new and amazing things. One week I opened the box and it was full of large red beets. I put the lid back on and counted to 10. When I opened the box again they were still there. I was stumped. So I did some research and learned that the best way to prepare beets is to roast them. They are so good this way I've yet to try any other preparation. I actually make sure I always have beets growing in my garden and frozen ready to use portions in my freezer.
The process is pretty simple. You wash your beets, trim off the greens and clean up any excessive amount of root left on the bulb, but leave the skin on. Take a square of aluminum foil put just a bit of sea salt and olive oil down and place the beet on top of it. Wrap the foil around it so it looks like a Hershey kiss, and put it in the oven. I've learned a few things in my beet roasting time, first it is best to wrap each beet individually, second even if you have more beets than you need for your recipe roast them all (they freeze really well), and third vary your roasting time—small beets are not the same as big beets! I usually turn the oven to between 375-415F, based basically on my mood and how hot the house already is. For beets under 2 inches in diameter I’d check them at 30 minutes. For beets 2-3 inches about 50 minutes to an hour, and monsters bigger than 3 inches I’d go an for an hour and a half before peeking in on them. Your beets should pierce easily with a fork but not fall apart. Once out of the oven let them rest a little bit. You can wait for them to cool completely, but I don’t wait very well. When I open the foil pouch I like to pour the beet juices that have collected in the bottom into a cup to reserve for making sauces and dressings. Take a fork and knife (butter knife will do) and simply scrape the skin off the beets; they should come off with little to no resistance.
Now that you have your roasted beets you are ready to make any number of delicious, healthy dishes. My favorite dish to make with beets is this salad that incorporates arugula, apples, and citrus. I promise if you give it a try it will make you fall in love with beets.
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Michele's Amazing Apple, Beet and Arugula SaladPrep time: 20 mins Cook time: 1 1/2 hours Servings:6
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Ingredients:
- 3 large beets (or 6 small beets)
- 3 medium granny smith apples, peeled cored and chopped small
- 3/4 cup chopped raw pecans
- 3 1/2 packed cups of baby arugula, lightly chopped
- 1/2 medium orange, juiced and zested
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil plus more for baking beets
- 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1-2 Tbsp. raw honey, melted
- Sea salt (to taste)
- Ground black pepper (to taste)
Equipment:
- Baking sheet
- Aluminum foil
- Oven Mitts
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring cups
- Small bowl
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium sized skillet
- Stirring spoon
- Kitchen knife
- Cutting board
- Steamer basket
- Medium saucepan
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400F. Wash and dry beets, and trim off the leaves and root tip (leaving the skin on). Drizzle a little olive oil over each beet and sprinkle each with a dash of sea salt. Wrap each beet individually in aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet. If using smaller beets bake for about 50 minutes, if using larger beets bake for about 90 minutes or until a fork can pierce the beet easily.
2. Remove the beets from the oven and allow them to rest for about 10 minutes. Unwrap each beet and drain the excess beet juice into a small bowl and set aside. Chop the beets into small bite sized pieces and place in a large mixing bowl.
3. Fill the bottom of a medium sized saucepan with water and place a steamer basket in it. Place over medium-high heat and bring the water to a bowl. Add the chopped apples, cover and steam for about 4-5 minutes or until apples are soft and tender. Drain and add the steamed apples to the bowl with the beets.
4. Place your chopped pecans in a medium sized skillet over medium-high heat and cook until lightly toasted, stirring frequently. Set the pecans aside.
5. To make the dressing, take the reserved beet juice and add the 2 Tbsp. of olive oil, apple cider vinegar, raw honey, orange juice and orange zest. Stir and add sea salt and black pepper to taste. Add additional orange juice or vinegar if you like. Pour the dressing over the beet mixture and toss to coat. Add the arugula and toasted pecans and toss again.
6. Serve immediately or place in fridge until ready to serve.
NOTE: For those that eat dairy, a bit of blue cheese crumbles on the top of the salad is delicious. Frozen beets would work for this recipe as well. To freeze simply chop your roasted beets, let them cool to room temperature and freeze them in a resealable plastic bag or a freezer safe container. When you want to use them pull them out and set them on the counter to defrost; once defrosted they are ready to use.
- 3 large beets (or 6 small beets)
- 3 medium granny smith apples, peeled cored and chopped small
- 3/4 cup chopped raw pecans
- 3 1/2 packed cups of baby arugula, lightly chopped
- 1/2 medium orange, juiced and zested
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil plus more for baking beets
- 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1-2 Tbsp. raw honey, melted
- Sea salt (to taste)
- Ground black pepper (to taste)
Equipment:
- Baking sheet
- Aluminum foil
- Oven Mitts
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring cups
- Small bowl
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium sized skillet
- Stirring spoon
- Kitchen knife
- Cutting board
- Steamer basket
- Medium saucepan
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400F. Wash and dry beets, and trim off the leaves and root tip (leaving the skin on). Drizzle a little olive oil over each beet and sprinkle each with a dash of sea salt. Wrap each beet individually in aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet. If using smaller beets bake for about 50 minutes, if using larger beets bake for about 90 minutes or until a fork can pierce the beet easily.
2. Remove the beets from the oven and allow them to rest for about 10 minutes. Unwrap each beet and drain the excess beet juice into a small bowl and set aside. Chop the beets into small bite sized pieces and place in a large mixing bowl.
3. Fill the bottom of a medium sized saucepan with water and place a steamer basket in it. Place over medium-high heat and bring the water to a bowl. Add the chopped apples, cover and steam for about 4-5 minutes or until apples are soft and tender. Drain and add the steamed apples to the bowl with the beets.
4. Place your chopped pecans in a medium sized skillet over medium-high heat and cook until lightly toasted, stirring frequently. Set the pecans aside.
5. To make the dressing, take the reserved beet juice and add the 2 Tbsp. of olive oil, apple cider vinegar, raw honey, orange juice and orange zest. Stir and add sea salt and black pepper to taste. Add additional orange juice or vinegar if you like. Pour the dressing over the beet mixture and toss to coat. Add the arugula and toasted pecans and toss again.
6. Serve immediately or place in fridge until ready to serve.
NOTE: For those that eat dairy, a bit of blue cheese crumbles on the top of the salad is delicious. Frozen beets would work for this recipe as well. To freeze simply chop your roasted beets, let them cool to room temperature and freeze them in a resealable plastic bag or a freezer safe container. When you want to use them pull them out and set them on the counter to defrost; once defrosted they are ready to use.
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