on the menu : fruit + beet salad

FRUIT + BEET SALAD

A bright, colorful salad fit for those chilly autumn evenings to brighten your soul.

INGREDIENTS:

• Mixed Herb Salad Greens
• Beets (4)
• Orange (1)
• Grapefruit (1)
• Red Onion (1/2)
• Walnuts (Small handful)
• Maple Syrup
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Olive Oil

DIRECTIONS:

1. Roast the beets in advance by covering them in aluminum foil and cooking in the oven.  Remove the skin and allow to cool.
2. While the oven is still on, roast the walnuts (drizzled with a little maple syrup) for about 5 minutes until toasted.  Remove once done and allow to cool as well.
3. While the beets are cooling, peel and cut up the orange and grapefruit into bite-size pieces.  Place in a large salad bowl.
4. Thinly slice up the red onion.  Drizzle some oil into a sauté pan and add the sliced red onions.  Turn the heat on to medium-low, season with salt + pepper and allow to caramelize.
5. To the sauté pan, add the oranges and balsamic vinegar.  Toss together and once the onions are cooked, remove from the heat.
6. Whisk together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, maple syrup, salt + pepper until emulsified.
7. Slice up the cooled beets and add to the grapefruit.  Season with salt + pepper and toss to combine.
8. Add to the bowl the sautéed onions and stir into the grapefruit and beets.
9. Add the salad greens, drizzle in the vinaigrette and gently toss the salad together.
10. Finish off with the maple roasted walnuts and you’re done!

on the side : beets + quinoa w/ ginger miso dressing

BEETS + QUINOA W/ GINGER MISO DRESSING

Sometimes you want to make a sweetly composed, soft dish.  When I think of delicacy, my mind immediately races to Japanese cuisine.  I’ve taken some Japanese flavors to form the backbone of this dish, but fused in the beets and quinoa to make it more my own.  Also in the Japanese culture, we eat a lot of rice with an array of toppings (like pickled radishes, cucumbers, sea vegetables, etc. etc.).  I’ve married that concept here by marinating the beets and pairing them with the fluffy quinoa.

And really, how often do you see a pink-hued dish?  Put this in your back pocket for when Valentine’s Day rolls around.

INGREDIENTS:

• Beets (4)
• Ginger (1-inch knob)
• Miso (1 tbsp)
• Sake (1 tsp)
• Honey (1 tbsp)
• Quinoa (1 cup)
• Salt + White Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Roast the beets in advance by wrapping them in foil and cooking them in the oven.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the grated ginger, miso paste, sake, and honey until combined.  You may wish to do this in a microwave-safe bowl so that you can put some quick heat through it to ease the whisking.
3. Quarter and slice up the beets.  Add them to the marinade you just whisked and toss to combine.
4. Allow the beets to marinade for a good 30 minutes (or longer if you have the time!).
5. Cook the quinoa according to the package.  Once cooked, fluff with a fork and season with salt + white pepper.
6. Combine the cooked quinoa with the beets and the marinade.  Mix well.  Serve warm or chilled.