With each New Year, I start looking for great new recipes that are tasty and nutritious. Of course, we typically gravitate toward meals that are warm and comforting, but I always feel that adding more fresh greens to my diet helps perk me up from the winter blues. And consuming the extra vitamins this time of year is always a good idea.
My new food obsession is quick-pickled onions. I make a super-simple pickling mixture (warm two parts vinegar and one part water in a saucepan over low heat, until it steams). Then, I put several thinly sliced, large red onions in a bowl and pour the pickling liquid over them. I put them in the fridge to cool overnight, and they’re ready! The onions add a lovely tartness to a winter salad recipe, like this yummy roasted beet salad with great flavors, textures and nutrition.
Salad
INGREDIENTS
- 5 oz spring mix, washed
- 2 large or 4 small beets
- 2 oz feta cheese, crumbled
- 2 oz pomegranate seeds, cleaned
- 2 oz sunflower seeds, toasted
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
Dressing
INGREDIENTS
- 4 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1-2 Tbsp honey
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp salt
TO MAKE
- For the dressing, peel and mince garlic and add to all other ingredients in a small container with a tight lid. Shake until the honey has dissolved completely. Set aside.
- Peel the beets, toss with olive oil, wrap in aluminum foil and roast at 375°F for 30-40 minutes. Let them cool completely.
- To the spring mix, add beets, feta, pomegranate seeds, sunflower seeds, pickled red onions (or raw, thinly sliced onion). Drizzle with the Lemon-Honey Dressing.
