Simple Beet Salad

Beets taste like dirt. I get it. But since when is a little earthiness a bad thing? Especially when it is balanced out by a sweet and tangy dressing, fresh greens, slivered almonds and creamy goat cheese?

My beet salad is an homage to Wolfgang Puck’s classic beet and goat cheese salad that seems to be on every restaurant menu in the country. Why? Because it is delicious and it’s cheap, far cheaper than what a restaurant would charge you for a plate of food this lovely.

This is another one of my non-recipes. You start by roasting the beets (drizzled in oil and wrapped in aluminum foil) in a 350F oven for 45 minutes or until the beets are tender. While the beets cool, make the dressing. My favorite is white balsamic vinegar (1/4 cup), almond oil (1/4 cup), dijon mustard (1 tsp),  honey (1 tblsp), and salt/pepper to taste.

By now, you should be able to handle the beets. The skins should slip/peel off easily and all you need to do is slice into bite-sized rounds or wedges. Once the beets are prepped, arrange the salad. Lay a base of greens. I used sunflower sprouts above, but any greens work. Spinach is nice, microgreens are very neutral, arugula or watercress adds a peppery bite, feel free to use what you like. Arrange your beets on top of the greens, drizzle the top with the dressing, and sprinkle crumbled goat cheese (blue cheese is tasty too) and sliced almonds on top. Done.