As a child I always hated beets. In Iceland there is a tradition to buy them pickled in a jar and eat with the holiday roast on christmas eve. Those were the only beets I had tasted and I didn't even know what fresh beets look like. It wasn't until I became vegan I found out about the numerous ways you can eat them, for example, raw, baked, juiced, etc. You can even get beet chips that taste just as good, if not even better than potato chips.
It took me some time to get used to the earthy taste but now this beautiful, nourishing vegetable is one of my favorites.
One day last week here in Gothenburg it felt like spring was finally here. Of course I couldn't have been more wrong and now everything is once again covered in snow.
But with spring in my heart for this single day I wanted to make something that screamed summer! - so I made myself a beet- & orange salad. I couldn't decide what kind of a dressing I wanted, so I made both tahini dressing and an orange & dijon vinaigrette. They were both good but there was something missing. I actually ended up combining the two, and wow, the result was delicious. The dressing was perfect for the salad and I can't believe I never thought of it before.
The last thing I added were maple candied wanuts. I love adding something crunchy to my salads and these definitely gave the course an extra kick.
It is way too common that people see salads only as bits of lettuce covered in chicken and/or bacon, cheese and a some mayonnaise-based dressing.
What's even more sad is how many think that having a vegan salad means taking away all the "good stuff" and ending up with dry lettuce and maybe a few tomatoes, not even thinking about all the delicious foods that you add to your life when you stop consuming animal products.
We need to abolish the notion of salads being boring unless covered in meat and dairy. Let's help each other and show people how many colorful, delicious and exciting plant based foods there are and try this one out yourself!
Beetroot salad for two:
3 beets
mixed salad
1 orange
Tahini-orange dressing
2 Tbsp white tahini
Juice of 1 small orange
2 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
A bit of zest from the orange
Pinch of salt
1 Tbsp of water (you can add more if the dressing is too thick)
Maple walnuts
50g walnuts
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp coconut oil
Direction:
1. preheat oven to 200°C
2. Scrub the beets under cold water and keep the skin on
3. Cut of the top and the bottom, wrap them in aluminum foil and bake for 45-60 minutes
4. While the beets are baking, mix all the ingredients for the dressing together in a bowl
5. Add walnuts, syrup and oil to a deep skillet and stir frequently. When the syrup is caramelized and the nuts toasted it's ready. It will only take about 3 minutes and you have to stand by it the whole time because it's easy for the mixture to burn.
6. When the beets are baked let them cool for about 10 minutes, or until cool enough for you to handle.
7. peel the skin of and cut them in cubes, toss them in salt and pepper and let them sit for another 10 minutes.
8. Put salad mix on two plates and equal amounts of beets and orange on each plate. Sprinkle with the dressing and candied walnuts.