Wednesday 23 April 2014

Roasted Beet and Feta Salad With Micro Greens and Balsamic Vinaigrette


I like to serve this salad as a main dish salad. With the feta and cashews it has a decent amount of protein.

 Sounds fancy. It's not. A simple vinaigrette on greens.








The next three pictures are vegetables and herbs that are growing in my basement under lights. They have been growing for about 6 weeks. Today is the first picking. The micro greens consist of watercress, cilantro, parsley, basil, baby kale, and baby romaine. The flavour was unbelievable. The instructions for growing these and other plants can be found under the urban farming tab. The addition of fresh herbs really adds to the salad.



You may replace the micro greens with any green that you like.





I like to roast the beets, unpeeled, in the oven at 350 degrees for about one hour. Let them cool a bit. The peel will slide right off. Slice them into 1/4 inch slices.










Lightly Toast 1/4 cup cashews in a dry skillet over medium/low heat. Watch them closely, they burn easily. Chop the cashews roughly.









Make the vinaigrette. Combine olive oil, vinegar, dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. You may need to add 1/2 tsp of honey if your vinegar is not sweet enough. Combine with a whisk. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.












Chop parsley and green onion












They look divine. From pot to table in 30 min. These greens are so fresh and flavorful.

All natural, all organic.








Place a handful or two of the greens on the bottom of the plate. Top with sliced beets, chopped cashews, chopped onions, and crumbled feta. Drizzle vinaigrette over the top. Dig in!

Seriously, one of the best salads, ever. 







Roasted Beet and Feta Salad with Micro Greens and Balsamic Vinaigrette
Serves 2

4-5 cups micro greens or salad greens of your choice washed and dried well 
2 beets, roasted and sliced
2 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup cashews, toasted (may replace with pecans, almonds, or walnuts
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled(may replace with goat cheese)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

Balsamic Vinaigrette
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp sugar(optional, add if your balsamic vinegar is not sweet enough)