The love for beets is inherent, deep inside of me. I am of the earth and they are earthly. The attraction is natural and doubtless and easy (but I will admit that as a child I couldn’t give them the time of day). Their deep crimson bleeds onto my hands and I rub it into my skin. They taste like the depths of the ground and I want mouthfuls.
There is nothing more genuine than an uprooting. The separation of root from dirt. A release and a rising. To pull them from the ground is having realized a small infinity of dreams surrounding the cultivation of health and happiness. A seed spurs a sprout and its greens internalize the sun until the dirt swells with a bulb of nutrient-rich flesh. The dirt is alive and perfect, and the root is deep and fat. It’s time for beets all the time.
Let me query if you have the time.
What is there not to love?
First and foremost beets can initiate sexy time (apparently the Romans were privy to this).
Beets combat depression and anxiety with betaine and tryptophan.
Beets offer antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that can’t wait to enrich your body.
Beets are cleansing and lovers of blood pressure.
Pleasing aspects, yes?
Today I have united beets, spinach, and swiss chard to deliver a loving nutrient punch to the system.
For summer endeavors and celebratory evenings I encourage you to enjoy the flavors of a roasted beet salad with candied chard.
While the essence of this recipe does not take a long time to come together, I’ve included the directions for the candied chard separately. You only need to give it an hour head start. Candying the chard offers a fun science experiment as well as a sugared beet taste to the salad. Hazelnuts, red onion, and goat cheese offer themselves as solid and wonderful flavor companions. This salad is easily for any occasion, any time – and a supernatural way to love your body. Cheers to new roots and deep roots.
- 1 bunch of swiss chard, leaves torn and stems chopped into 1 inch pieces.
- 1 bunch of beets
- 5 ounces of spinach
- ⅓ cup toasted hazlenuts, crushed
- ½ red onion finely diced
- 2 ounces crumbled herbed goat cheese
- For Dressing:
- ½ cup of olive or grapeseed oil
- ¼ cup of fresh orange juice
- ½ tsp orange zest
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- ½ tsp finely chopped rosemary
- Keep a few ounces of chard stems for fresh garnish, use the remaining to craft the candied swiss chard - recipe at bottom.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Scrub beets and pat dry.
- Rub beets in a light coating of olive or grapseed oil and wrap in aluminum foil.
- Bake on a sheet for about 45 minutes (size dependent) until fork tender.
- Let cool and slice beets.
- Assemble bowls with torn chard leaves and spinach.
- Add fresh chard stems, candied chard stems, toasted hazelnuts, red onion, goat cheese, and beets.
- To assemble dressing mix all components together swiftly to combine. Serve immediately alongside salad.
Notes:
You can make this salad easily without the candied chard stems. If you are going to use them, allow at least an extra hour in advance start time. If you prefer to just use the stems raw you can release an hour from the prep time estimation. The recipe for the candied stems can be located here: Candied Swiss Chard.
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