Orange and Beet Salad

I finish this week off with another delicious and beautiful looking salad. I love using beets in salads, especially the roasted variety. There are times when I am simply too lazy to roast the beets.. or I just don’t have the time. I buy the already cooked variety from Trader Joes. They are delicious as well.. but nothing like roasting your own.

For this salad I roasted a few plump beets. I wrapped each one in aluminum foil and placed them in the oven. Remember to place them on a cookies sheet first to avoid any leakage. Beet juice can be impossible to get off surfaces. I then segmented some oranges- which has been my ingredient of choice ever since they have come in season. I have been putting them in everything I can.

I placed the colorful beets and oranges on some mixed greens and made a delicious salad with orange juice and balsamic vinegar.

The salad was so beautiful looking that I didn’t want to disturb it and eat it. Once I did, I realized how delicious it was…

• 3 to 4 medium red beets

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Wrap each beet in aluminum foil. Roast the beets for 40 to 50 minutes. Let them cool and scrape the skin off. Cut into 1-inch squares.

• 2 large navel oranges, peeled and cut into segments
• 4 cups mixed greens

Balsamic Dressing

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 teaspoon agave
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Salt

Add the vinegar, orange juice, agave and mustard. Mix well and drizzle the olive oil slowly while whisking constantly until the dressing is emulsified.

Assemble four plates with the greens, oranges and pieces of beets. Drizzle the dressing and serve.