Just Beet It

Continuing on with the week o' salads, I present: the Beet Salad. It's one of my faves. Although it could consist of several different ingredients, MY beet salad is salty (Roquefort), nutty (toasted walnuts), bitter (Belgian endive), and sweet (beets + apple or pear). Kind of like me!



Tina's Beet Salad

3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 small Belgian endives, chopped
1/2 Granny Smith apple or pear, chopped
4 baby beets (or 2 medium), cooked and chopped
1 ounce Roquefort (or other blue cheese), crumbled
1/4 cup walnuts, toasted

1. In a medium bowl whisk together the oil, vinegar, and mustard. Add salt and pepper to taste.

2. Add the endive, apple, and beets to the dressing and toss to coat. Plate the salad and sprinkle the cheese and nuts over the top. Serve with freshly ground black pepper and enjoy immediately. Serves 1.

Tip #1: In order to keep the salad from turning pink, don't toss the beets with the endive and apple. Reserve a teaspoon of the dressing and toss the beets separately. Then add them to the top of the salad along with the cheese and nuts.

Tip #2: Since it's hot outside and you're probably not in the mood to turn on the oven to roast beets for up to one hour, look for the pre-cooked, shrink wrapped beets in the supermarket. (Skip the cans.) It makes this salad WAY easier. Save the roasting for winter.