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Roasted Beet and Berry Salad with Raspberry-Fig Vinaigrette

Roasted Beet and Berry Salad with Raspberry-Fig Vinaigrette

Superfood roasted beet and berry salad with goat cheese and raspberry-fig vinaigrette – a light and healthful dish perfect for Spring.

Who here could use a hiatus from rich foods after all the Cinco de Mayo and Mother’s Day feasting and brunching? My hips are feeling puh-retty constricted against my skinny jeans these days, so I’ll be the first to admit: a mini break from cheese, tortillas, beer, and muffins is welcomed with open arms. Enter: das salad.

Truth: even when I’m not recovering from my favorite food holidays, I eat salad on the regular. I know. You’re shocked. More often than not, at the end of a long day in the kitchen, all I want is some fresh vegetation in my belly – in spite of the fact that I have all sorts of filling meals prepared and packed conveniently in the fridge. I typically have roasted beets or sweet potatoes (or even a plethora of mixed roasted veggies) on hand, so come feeding time, I simply plunk some greens down in a uuuuge bowl, add said roasted veg, a fruit or three, a cheese, often some nuts, and drizzle with homemade dressing that I whip out in my little Magic Bullet blender.

Which brings me to my next point: roasting veggies ahead of time for a busy week. When I have the forethought to do so, I snag a bunch of beets from the grocery store, chop one up, wrap the hunks into a big foil packet, and roast at 375 for 45 to 50 minutes. One big beet will last me a full workweek, and chopping the thing before roasting cuts down on the bake time significantly. This is convenience, my friends. Plus, there’s nothing like the satisfaction after a healthful meal – feeling full but not too full, knowing you’ll wake up feeling ready to take on the world the next day.

Change ups to the recipe? Here are some ideas:

  • Omit any of the berries
  • Substitute blueberries for raspberries in the vinaigrette
  • Add grilled chicken for animal protein
  • Use kale, spinach, or green blend of choice as opposed to spring greens.

I’ve been blown away by how tasty berries have been lately. Blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries are marvelous when they’re in season and are most excellent in salads. The raspberry-fig vinaigrette is the real meal maker here, tying all the ingredients together into a lovely fresh flavor meld.

Because: skinny jeans don’t lie.

Roasted Beet and Berry Salad with Raspberry-Fig Vinaigrette

Print

Beet and Berry Salad:

  • 1
    medium beet
    chopped and roasted
  • ½
    cup
    blueberries
  • ½
    cup
    blackberries
  • ½
    cup
    raspberries
  • 1/3
    cup
    goat cheese crumbles*
  • 5
    ounces
    spring green mix

Raspberry Fig Vinaigrette:

  • ¼
    cup
    raspberries
  • 1
    tablespoon
    fig preserves
    or more to taste
  • 1/3
    cup
    grapeseed
    avocado, or olive oil
  • 1/3
    cup
    rice vinegar or cider vinegar
  • Pinch cinnamon
    optional

Prepare the Raspberry-Fig Vinaigrette:

  1. Add all of the ingredients for the vinaigrette to a small blender and blend until combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Prepare the Beet and Berry Salad:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

  2. Scrub the beet and pat it dry. Chop it into 1/2-inch to 1-inch chunks, then wrap the pieces in foil packet. Place packet on a baking sheet and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until beets are soft and juices are seeping out. Allow beet to cool to room temperature.

  3. Add the ingredients for the salad to a large serving bowl. Toss in desired amount of raspberry fig vinaigrette and serve (keep leftover vinaigrette in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for future salads).

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