Well its Canadian Thanksgiving Monday today and after too much overindulgence, we decided to enjoy some lighter, healthier fare today to balance things out.  This roasted beet salad was the result and it’s a keeper.

A fresh tasting combination of unique flavors this salad will get the seal of approval from the most discerning foodie – vegan or not.  The recipe as written, can be an appetizer for 4, as pictured above.  For two, this salad could be a satisfying meal, if accompanied with a roll or soup, like Scott’s Roasted Tomato Soup, or both.

The candied pecans, have a hint of heat are a cinch to make.  Just coat with real maple syrup, a pinch of cayenne and place on a oiled baking pan and bake for 10 minutes.  You can’t go wrong with candied pecans and in this dish they give it just the right amount of crunch.

 

 

Beets are a great dark shade powerhouse of nutrients.   Read about 22 Amazing Benefits of Beets, including cancer prevention, improving blood pressure and digestion.

The blue ‘cheese’ we used is from the Canadian Company Nuts for Cheese.  Personally, I think they should call it call gorgonzola as it seems to mimic gorgonzola’s creamy texture.  The flavour would fool an omni every time.

Alternative Cheese

If you can’t find a decent vegan blue cheese, Daiya’s Smoked Gouda or the Havarti Jalapeno cut into chunks would also work.  Just about 3 dice sized pieces chopped into smaller pieces.
Or, this recipe has some good reviews.  I haven’t tried it, but it looks tempting

We topped the salad with hemp seeds.  I love these nutty tasting seeds.   Hemp seeds are a super food containing the highest amount of essential fatty acid than any other food.   And no, it won’t make you high.  There is no THC in hemp seeds.  It’s a nutritional gift and we could all use more hemp seeds in our lives.

Recipe

Fresh Spinach Leaves

2 beets

Cooking spray or oil

2 tbsp Nuts for Cheese blue cheese (see alternative cheese above)

5 large basil leaves, cut into small bits

1/3 cup pecans

2 tbsp maple syrup

Large pinch cayenne pepper

Thinly sliced red onion (about an 1/8 inch strip, but into smaller bits)

2 tbsp Olive Oil

2 tbsp Hemp Seed

Fresh Ground Pepper

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Peel beets, cut into wedges and lightly coat with oil or cooking spray. Place them in the oven for about  40 or 50 minutes or until tender, turning over occasionally and adding more oil if necessary.  They should be easily sliceable with a knife.

Spray a small baking pan.   Coat nuts in maple syrup and place on baking pan.   Place in the oven for about 10 minutes, then remove.  When cooled, separate them.

Get your salad plates ready by placing spinach leaves to just cover the bottom of your plate.   When the beets are done, you can begin layering the salad.  Chop the beets into bite sized pieces and place on the plates, followed by torn basil bits,  onion, pecans, cheese, olive oil (sprinkled) and hemp seed and finally fresh ground pepper.

You don’t have to be a beet lover to love this salad.  It’s a great way to get this amazing vegetable into your life more often.