Roasted Beet and Arugula Salad: Guest Post – Simply Nourished

I am so happy to share with you a guest post today!  Social media and the internet definitely have positive and negative parts to them but one absolutely fantastic part is the amazing people that you get to meet.  I first met Stacie from Simply Nourished via Instagram and instantly knew we had a lot in common.  Food being a big one.  As dietitians we love sharing nourishing recipes with the world.

I hope you enjoy her and her business partner, Jessica, just as much as I do…

What do two salad lovin’ gals do when it’s winter and all of the tomatoes taste like cardboard?!  We reinvent our idea of ‘salad’ and use what’s in season, that’s what we do!

We’re Jessica and Stacie, the Registered Dietitian Nutritionists behind Simply Nourished. Our mission is create simple, delicious recipes for everyday life. We featured wholesome, nourishing and seasonal foods so you can eat well all year round without sacrificing taste.

Today we have the pleasure of sharing with you a simple arugula salad that you’re going to love. Easy enough for weeknight dinner or a lunchbox and elegant enough for a dinner party.  Greens such as bok choy, kale, spinach, cress and arugula are just a few varieties that tolerate colder temperatures. As such, they tend to be heartier and more strongly flavored (many are cousins of the cabbage family) which is why we love to pair them with something naturally sweet, like beets. Winter greens are also good sources of fiber, iron, potassium and calcium. And those beets? They’re chock full of betalains, a group of phytonutrients that have antioxidant and anti­inflammatory properties. Not to mention the vitamin C and manganese present in beets. They’re pretty much a superfood in our book!

Roasting beets is a relatively hands­off method of preparation though you’ll want to plan ahead for the roasting time. If you scrub the beets well under running water before roasting you don’t even have to peel them. That peel is a great source of fiber so don’t waste it (and save yourself valuable time and seriously purple fingertips).

The salad itself has just 4 ingredients: peppery arugula, sweet and earthy beets, creamy goat cheese and crunchy walnuts. A little of everything! And the dressing is simple too. Make a double or triple batch for dressing salads or marinating meat or chicken to cut down on kitchen time later in the week (we’re all about ‘Cook once, eat twice’.)

Looking for more nourishing, seasonal recipes?

Check out this Massaged Kale Salad or Roasted Vegetable and Quinoa Salad for a delicious change of pace this winter.

Photo credit: Jessica Beacom RDN, CLT

Bio: Jessica Beacom and Stacie Hassing are the Registered Dietitian Nutritionists behind Simply Nourished.  Their recipes are designed to be big on taste and short on ingredients so you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time doing what you love. You can find more recipes and healthy eating inspiration on their blog at Simply Nourished Recipes.

5 from 1 vote

Print

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Servings 4

Calories 305 kcal

Author Jessica Beacom, RDN, CLT and Stacie Hassing, RDN, LD ­ The Simply Nourished Dietitians

Ingredients

• Salad
• 2 bunches small red beets about 1 1⁄2 ­ 2 pounds
• 2 teaspoons olive or avocado oil
• 6 ounces arugula
• 1 ⁄2 cup walnuts chopped
• 2 ounces soft goat cheese crumbled
• Dressing
• 3 tablespoons olive or avocado oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 ⁄8 teaspoon dijon mustard optional
• 1 ⁄2 teaspoon honey or maple syrup optional
• Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 .
2. Place a large sheet of aluminum foil in the bottom of a small baking dish, allowing enough overhang to be able to wrap the beets in a little packet.
3. Wash beets and pat dry. Trim greens about 1⁄4 inch from beet and reserve for another use and leave the root tip intact.
4. Drizzle 2 tsp. olive or avocado oil over beets, shake gently to coat with oil then fold foil over the top of the beets, crimping the edges to seal tightly.
5. Place beets in baking dish in preheated oven and roast 45­-60 minutes or until fork-tender.
6. Remove from oven and allow to cool enough so that you can handle them.
7. Remove skin from beets using your hands or a paring knife (it should just peel away easily) of leave the skin on, if preferred. Cut into wedges of desired size.
8. While beets are roasting, combine dressing ingredients in a small jar or bowl. Whisk well to combine and refrigerate until ready to use.
9. To assemble salad, divide arugula among 4 plates. Top each portion with 1⁄4 of the roasted beets, 1⁄2 ounce goat cheese and 2 Tbsp. walnuts.
10. Drizzle with dressing and serve immediately.

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