Curried Beet Salad

Beets. Just the sound of the word makes me shudder. I think it was the jarred borscht I was forced to eat as a kid. And then there was schav. Don't get me started. Turned me off all green vegetables for a long time.

Today, I don't half mind eating jarred borscht, though freshly made is so much better. I'm not sure when I made the leap. It might've been the wonderful borscht recipe in the original Moosewood cookbook. Whatever the reason, today I really enjoy eating them. Roasted or steamed or even microwaved, I've been converted. Add peppery arugula, crisp diced apples, toasted walnuts, plump, juicy raisins and curry dressing, draped over a bed of nutty quinoa, and man oh man, it just cannot get much better. And if that doesn't convince you, read about the benefits of eating beets. Maybe you too will decide that beets are your friend.

Curried Beet Salad
printable recipe

4 medium beets, scrubbed, root ends and 1 inch of stems left intact (this will keep them from bleeding)
1 bunch arugula
1 Fuji apple (or other crisp apple), cored, quartered, and sliced
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
1/4 cup raisins
1/3 cup toasted walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup Curry Dressing (see recipe below)

At least an hour before you plan on serving this salad, steam the beets until tender (in steamer or microwave). When finished cooking, slide skins off under running water. Cut beets into small wedges and set aside.

In a salad bowl, toss the arugula with about 1/3 of the vinaigrette.

Toss apple, celery, and raisins with 1/2 of the remaining dressing. Mound in the center of the arugula. Top with the walnuts. Add the remaining dressing and toss. Serve immediately.

Curry Dressing

2 tbsp apple cider
1 medium garlic clove, minced
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp agave or other sweetener
1/4 tsp sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar, garlic, curry powder, mustard, agave, salt and pepper. Drizzling the olive oil into this mixture, slowly whisk until all ingredients are incorporated.

This recipe is entered into Diet, Dessert and Dogs April Sweet or Savory Kitchen Challenge.