Serves 4
Mixing vegetables and fruits into a salad is something I learned from my Italian friend Susanne who, after 15 years living 8,000 miles away, is still as close to me as if she were living down the road. This specific salad mixes beets and oranges, which are a great combo; if you’re feeling adventurous, add a ripe pear or some cherries to the salad, which will give you even greater variety of color and taste.
Ingredients:
1 lb beets, trimmed
2 avocados, sliced
2 navel oranges, peel and pith removed, segmented
2 cups spinach
1 tablespoons toasted sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 teaspoons balsamic or champagne vinegar
Salt and fresh pepper
Instructions:
Heat oven to 425F.
Place scrubbed beets on a large piece of foil on a baking sheet. They should all be the same size, so you might need to halve the large ones to allow for equal baking time.
Drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil and fold foil around beets crimping the ends to form a packet.
Roast until tender when pierced with a knife, about 45 minutes.
Let cool, remove skin and slice.
Whisk vinegar, orange juice and remaining olive oil.
Drizzle over beets, avocados, oranges and spinach.
Season with salt and pepper.
Top with sunflower seeds and serve.
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