Winter Salad & Maple Dressing

Golden beets are sweet, mild, and tender, a lighter, less earthy take on classic beets, with a sunny color that makes any salad pop. They’re also packed with fiber and nutrients like folate, potassium, and vitamin C. I spotted some at the store recently and grabbed them right away. I always order golden beets when I see them on a menu. Making a “fancy” restaurant-style salad at home was such a treat. If you can’t find golden beets, roasted butternut squash or sweet potato work beautifully too. The real flavor stars here are the dressing, walnuts, and goat cheese.

You will need:

4 cups mixed salad greens

1/2 cup walnuts, lightly toasted

2 cups diced roasted beets  ( 6 whole beets)

1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese

Dressing ingredients~

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

1  tsp Dijon mustard

1 1/2 tsp maple syrup

Salt & black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400 F. Wash, peel and cube beets.  Place on a lined baking sheet, toss with a little olive oil, salt and pepper.  Place in oven and bake for 20-30 minutes until lightly caramelized, and tender ( not mushy) Toast the walnuts in a dry pan over medium heat 3–4 minutes until fragrant, then cool. Next make the dressing.  Whisk all dressing ingredients until emulsified. In a large bowl, toss greens with half the dressing. Add beets, walnuts, and cheese. Drizzle remaining dressing and crack fresh pepper on top.

2 large servings or 4 small