This salad is one of my go to lunches ‘with the girls’ or a fantastic autumn dinner party starter. Loaded with iron and vitamin C, beets can be boiled, juiced, pickled and made into dip or crisps. My little ones eat them just like an apple, as soon as they have been peeled and while they are still warm…
What you’ll need: serves 2-4
250g baby spinach leaves
250g rocket leaves
2 large beetroots
150g Green beans
Mung bean or salad spouts
80g Pine nuts
Himalayan sea salt
For the vinaigrette you’ll need:
3 tablespoons unpasteurised red wine vinegar (I’m loving Biona Organic)
3 tablespoons tamari
3 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons agave
For the vinaigrette:
Simply measure out your ingredients into a bowl and whisk to together ready to serve.
For the salad:
Top and tail the beets. Place them in a pot, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Cook for 1 hour or until tender – when you stick a small knife into each beet, it should go in smoothly. Leave to cool, then peel. You should be able to peel the skin away with your fingers. Cut beets into slices, then into 1cm thick chips and set aside.
Wash spinach and rocket, drain and gently towel dry. Set aside
Top and tail, then halve your green beans. Fill a medium saucepan with cold water and bring to the boil. Blanch the beans for 3 minutes, then lift them out and into iced water to refresh. Drain and dry, then set side.
In individual dishes arrange the spinach and rocket, then toss. Add a generous handful of green beans, top with mung beans, pine nuts, then your beets. Finally a few more mung beans and pine nuts and a good few grinds of sea salt. Finish with a generous drizzle of vinaigrette. Or leave your guests to dress their own salad, by serving the vinaigrette in a funky jar on the table. Add some warm crusty bread, good olive oil and a glass of pinor noir and you’re done.
