Eating light through the fall and winter can be tricky. Not only have many fruits and vegetables begun to go out of season, but cold weather always seems to beget rich, heavy meals. So after a few too many nights of hearty soups and roasts, the concept of a cold-weather salad was a new, and appealing idea.
This salad uses beets and oranges, both of which are available and in season through the winter. Beets are one of the bigger “love-it-or-hate-it” vegetables out there, but their earthy flavor and natural sweetness give the salad a welcome heartiness and depth. It’s a great dish to try to win over any beet haters you know.
There’s so much going on in this salad between the citrus, the beets, the creamy goat cheese and the pumpkin seeds that it hardly needs a dressing, however a fairly simple vinaigrette with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and a touch of maple syrup (to make it even more seasonal!) is a perfect match. Tossed a bit with the homemade dressing, it is a light yet still satisfying meal to get you through the colder months.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups Divina beets
- sea salt and pepper
- 2 cups arugula
- 2 small or 1 large orange, segmented
- 1 shallot, sliced
- 1 oz goat cheese, crumbled
- 1 - 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
- 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- salt and pepper
Directions:
- To prepare the dressing, add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, garlic and a dash of salt and pepper to a jar with a lid. Shake.
- In a bowl, toss the arugula with the dressing.
- Place the arugula onto a serving plate, and top with the beets, orange segments, sliced shallot, goat cheese, and pumpkin seeds.
- Season with salt and pepper and serve.
