Summer Beet Salad!!!

For those of you who like beets, this is a great refreshing recipe with pears, feta cheese and walnuts - salty & sweet at the same time. If you are not a huge fan, I recommend trying this one, the beets are roasted so flavor is more interesting. Beets are one of those vegetables that you need to acquire a taste for - like cheese and wine:)
Photos & recipe Love & Lemons

 

ROASTED BEET, PEAR & WALNUT SALAD

serves 3-4 as a side dish

Ingredients:

• 3 medium sized beets, any variety
• a small drizzle of olive oil, for roasting the beets
• 1 ripe pear, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1/4 cup walnuts, toasted
• 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled (or more)
• a few handfuls of salad greens of your choice
• 1/4-1/2 cup cooked quinoa (optional, for a heartier salad)
• micro sprouts, for garnish (also optional)
• 1-2 tablespoons walnut oil
• a drizzle of balsamic vinegar
• a drizzle of honey
• salt & pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Roast the beets by drizzling them with a bit of olive oil, some salt and pepper, and wrapping them in foil. Depending on the size and freshness of your beets, they should take from 40 minutes to 1 hour to roast in the oven. Check occasionally, when they are fork-tender they are done. Set them aside to cool… as soon as they’re cool enough to touch, run them under the faucet and slide off the skins with your hands. Chop into roughly 1/2 inch cubes and set them aside to cool completely.
2. (optional step) Take the already-cooked quinoa and toast it a little, by tossing it in a small hot skillet for a couple of minutes. Drizzle a little walnut oil and some salt on it, and remove from the heat and set aside.
3. Assemble all salad ingredients on a platter. Drizzle with a liberal amount of walnut oil, a bit of balsamic vinegar, a little honey, and some salt and pepper.