This heart-nourishing salad is a wonderful warm winter dish that will keep your engine running all day long. I like making this salad when the beets and the pistachios are fresh out of the oven. It has a warming, aromatic effect that feels so good on a cold winter day. The beets and the pistachios can easily be made in advance and this dish is eaten cold. The choice is yours.

This salad is colorful and balanced and filled with healthy fiber, fats, antioxidants and vitamins. The sweetness of the beets and pomegranate, the creaminess of the avocado and the crunch from the toasted pistachios against the backdrop of bitter greens makes for a multidimensional taste experience.

Warm Roasted Beet and Avocado Salad with Toasted Pistachios and Grapefruit Dressing

Makes either 2 large portions or 4 side salads

Prep time 20 min

Total time 1 hour

Ingredients:

Salad

2 medium sized beets scrubbed, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
4 cups of arugula
1 pink grapefruit in sections *
1 avocado- chopped into 1/2-inch cubes
3 tablespoons of shelled pistachios
1 tablespoon pomegranate seeds
2 teaspoons avocado oil
1 teaspoon honey
Salt and pepper

*chefs note: Cut the grapefruit in ½. Cut out each individual section. Then squeeze the juice for the dressing.

Dressing

¼ cup unfiltered olive oil
1 tablespoon Apple cider vinegar
1 small clove of garlic
1 small pieces of ginger – about a ½ inch
1 grapefruit squeezed (use the grapefruit that was sectioned)
¼ teaspoon Honey
Salt and Pepper – pinch

Put everything in the blender and blend until smooth.

*chef’s note: It is nice to double or triple this recipe and use it for other salads throughout the week. It will last for about a week in the refrigerator.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Beets

Peel and slice the beets into bite sized pieces. Peeling beets is messy business! Wearing an apron and using a chopping board that wipes off easily or use one that you are not concerned about staining.

*chefs note: Some people like to roast the beets in their skins and peel them later. I find that the carmelization that happens with the beets is so beautiful that I like them fully peeled prior to roasting.

2. Toss with avocado oil, salt, pepper and ½ teaspoon of honey

3. Spread out evenly on a baking sheet

4. Roast for @45 minutes or until soft enough to pierce with a fork. Toss beets a few times while they are roasting.

Pistachios

Toss pistachios with avocado oil and ½ teaspoon of honey. Sprinkle with salt.
Spread evenly on a baking sheet and cook for 8-10 minutes at 375 degrees.

*chef’s note: Put the pistachios in when the beets have been cooking for 35 minutes. This way they are both warm when you toss them into the salad.

Salad

Toss arugula, grapefruit, avocado and pomegranate seeds in a bowl with salad dressing. Add warm beets and pistachios and toss.

Serve immediately

Enjoy!