Beet Salad

I've heard people talk about being transported back in time when they eat certain foods. Until recently, it had never happened to me. The other day, my husband, kids, and I went out to dinner at a local place called Urban Plates. It's a farm to table restaurant that serves all fresh, local food. They try to get as much organic as possible, and although it's not 100% organic, nor 100% grain-free, they are closer to that number than most places... but I digress. Anyway, so I ordered a chicken plate that came with two sides. Now, I splurged out on a homemade mac & cheese for one. I know, it wasn't grain-free... but it was oh so delish. For the other side, I thought, "heck, in the spirit of trying new things, I'll try the beet salad." So I ordered that.

I sat down to eat and upon tasting the beet salad, practically found myself sitting on the mustard-colored high seated step-stool in my grandmother's kitchen. I could see her by the stove with oven mitts on and a baking pan in her hand. I could smell her Czech-Slovak food, and hear my grandfather's voice and the blaring TV set in the other room. And on the table was a big bowl of beet salad, and a mouthfull of it in my mouth.

"I've eaten this before!" I exclaimed to my family. They looked at me cockeyed. "What are you talking about, Mom?" my daughter asked. And I relayed the experience.

So now that I've been exquisitely informed that I used to eat beet salad all the time before, when my grandmother was alive, and pleasantly surprised that I actually liked it, I've been on a quest to find the perfect beet salad. I looked at other people's recipes, and that was great to get an idea, but I didn't find one that quite suited me. So I just went with what I know about food, tastes, and consistencies, and threw something together... that turned out beautifully. The recipe is 100% organic, of course, which these days is essential for food considering the density of nutrients found in organics compared to conventional and GMO foods which are laden with toxins and devoid of nutrients.

Beet Salad
4 Large Red Beets - boiled, peeled, and cubed 1/2"
1 Small White Onion - peeled, halved, and very finely sliced 
1 c Goat Cheese
1/2 c Fresh Dandilion Leaves - chopped
1/2 c Fresh Arugula - chopped
2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
2 Tbsp Avocado Oil
1 Tbsp Hemp Seed Oil
1 Tbsp Raw Unpasturized Honey
1 Large Fresh Basil leaf - finely chopped
1 Small sprig Fresh Marjoram - finely chopped
1 Small sprig Thyme - leaves chopped, stems discarded
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Sea Salt
1-2 tsp Finely Ground Black Pepper

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together oil, honey, spices, and vinegar.
Add the onions, and mix well with a wooden flat rice spatula
Add beets and mix, ensuring they are all coated with the vinaigrette.
Add greens and herbs and gently blend.
At this point, you can either mix in the goat cheese, or you can leave it for a garnish.
Transfer to a serving bowl (plain white with no decorations is the prettiest to show off the beautiful colors)

And voilà! There you have a delicious beet salad, packed with nutritients and omega oils.

Some of the nutrients you'll be getting are:
Omega 3s
Omega 6s
Protein
Thiamin
Riboflavin
Zinc
Phosphorous
Vitamin A
Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Vitamin K
B-Complex Vitamins (B-3, B-5, and B-6)
Iron
Calcium
Manganese
Copper
Magnesium
Potassium
Betaine
Folate

© 2013, Giovanna Mealer, Giovana's Paleo Kitchen
All Rights Reserved.