Boost your mood with this colorful and nutritious Spring Beet Salad created by Sharon Meyer, Integrative Nutritionist at the Institute for Health & Healing. Ingredients include orange, red and purple beets, which contain betaine, a super nutrient that helps protect your cells and reduce environmental stress. Plus, this refreshing salad is loaded with inflammation-fighting leafy greens and topped with a tasty, easy-to-make dressing full of rich flavors. Garnish with your favorite edible flowers for an extra burst of color.
Ingredients
- 1 head of Boston or bib lettuces washed
- 1 romaine heart washed
- 1–2 endive
- 1 small radicchio
- 1 cup of arugula
- ½ cup of cilantro (stemmed)
- ½ cup of Italian parsley (flat-leaved parsley) stemmed
- 1 cup of microgreens
- 2–3 small beets (oranges, purple, red – use a mix of colors)
- 1 tbsp capers
- ½ cup of Feta (goat/sheep) or Parmesan
- ½ cup Kalamata olives
Instructions
- Wash and dry well all the leaves and tear up into smaller bites. Slice the romaine heart.
- Destem the cilantro and parsley. (You can leave the smaller stems, but remove the tougher ones.)Roast the beets in a little oil at 350° for 25 mins.
- Thinly slice the cooked beets.
- Put all the ingredients on a large platter, except the microgreens. Add half the dressing and toss the salad. You may need to add more dressing.
- Add the microgreens, toss gently.
Dressing
- 1 1/2 tsp of ground cumin
- 1 tsp honey (optional)
- 1 TBS warm water
- 1 clove garlic grated
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil EVOO + 1TBS
- ½ cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Zest of 1 lemon
Directions
- In a small pan or saucepan gently heat 1TBS of olive oil and cumin for about 1 minute
- Add all the other dressing ingredients to bowl and whisk until well combined, then warmed cumin & 1TBS olive oil. Whisk all together for at least 3 minutes.
Optional add-ins
- Dijon Mustard
- 1 mashed anchovy
- ½ cup Parmesan or Pecorino Romano
- 1 heaped tablespoon of pesto
- 3 slices of bacon, crisped
More Resources
Healthwise Resource Library
Look up helpful health information.
Patient Information
Practical info for Sutter patients.
Tools and Quizzes
Online tools to help you make decisions about your health.