Recipe:
Chewy roasted beets, sweet pear, creamy avocado, and crunchy walnuts are the perfect winter salad ingredients, especially when combined with spinach and dressed in a citrusy orange vinaigrette. Roasting the beets brings out their natural sweetness and gives them an almost meaty texture. Walnuts are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids and add a delicious nutty flavor to the salad. Spinach is high in lutein and zeaxanthin, important nutrients for eye health.
Ingredients:
For the salad:
4 small beets, peeled and sliced
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
Pinch salt
1 8 oz bag spinach
1 avocado, diced
1 medium pear, sliced
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
For the vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1⁄2 teaspoon orange zest
Pinch salt
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss the beets with olive oil and salt and then place in one layer on the baking sheet. Roast for 20-25 minutes, until slightly soft. In a large bowl, combine spinach, roasted beets, avocado, pear, and walnuts. In a small dressing shaker, combine orange juice, vinegar, olive oil, orange zest, and salt. Shake vigorously and then pour over salad. Toss salad until vinaigrette is evenly distributed.
Yields: 4 servings
Per serving: 199 calories, 4.16 g protein, 20.96 g carbohydrates, 7.6 g fiber, 10.67 g sugars, 12.61 g fat, 1.67 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 189.83 mg sodium, 81 mg calcium, 0.05 g omega-3 fats, 5425.6 IU vitamin A, 27.15 mg vitamin C, 0.76 mg vitamin E, 2.88 mg iron, 0.56 mg zinc
Lisa Drayer, M.A., R.D.,
is the author of THE BEAUTY DIET and STRONG, SLIM, and 30! For more of Lisa’s Beauty Bites, visit www.lisadrayer.com.