Beet Salad

Possibly one of the best salads that I've ever made. I'm a huge fan of beets, and this combination of ingredients just works so well together. Honestly, you could take out everything except the beets, feta cheese, and balsamic vinaigrette, and it would still be amazing. I highly suggest using packaged prepared beets -- you can get them at Costco for a pretty reasonable price point. They probably can't match the taste of freshly cooked beets, but they're easy and SO much more convenient -- it saves a lot of time cooking the beets and a lot of fuss from the intense color of the beets. With the pre-cooked beets, this also becomes one of the easiest dishes to make of all time.

Active Time: 15 min

Total Time: 15 min


Ingredients

> arugula (2.5 oz)
> beets (~1 lb raw or ~2/3 lb pre-cooked)
> pecans (1/4 cup)
> dried cranberries (1/4 cup)
> feta cheese (2 oz, crumbled)
> olive oil (3 tbsp)
> balsamic vinegar (1 tbsp)
> dijon mustard (1 tsp)
> salt, pepper


Instructions

1. If using raw beets, cook the beets. You could roast, steam, or boil the beets -- all would work. Depending on the size of your beets, you'll probably want to cook them for anywhere between 30-60 minutes. The skin should peel right off afterwards. If using precooked beets, skip this step.
2. Toast the pecans over a pan for a couple minutes, until lightly browned and fragrant.
3. Cut the beets into slices or wedges (honestly, the exact shape is not that important, as long as they're not too big or too small).
4. Assemble the salad: arugula, beets, pecans, feta cheese, and dried cranberry.
5. Prepare the vinaigrette by mixing together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, salt, and pepper (to taste). Add dressing over the salad to taste, and mix well. Serve and enjoy!


Notes/Tips:

> Beets and feta cheese are a classic, timeless combination. Beets would also go well with goat cheese. The earthiness of the beets contrasts well with the sharpness of the feta / goat cheese.
> Otherwise, feel free to add whatever accompaniments you wish. Honestly, everything else is pretty optional; feel free to use other dried fruit (or something to give a touch of sweetness), something other than pecans to give a textural contrast, and other leafy greens (although arugula is definitely my favorite and probably the most standard pairing with a beet salad)