Roasted Beet and Green Bean Salad

Ingredients:
2 large fresh beets (or more smaller ones)
3 handfuls green beans
mixed salad greens
olive oil
balsamic vinaigrette
salt
pepper

Preheat oven to 400 F

Trim beets and wash them clean. Place them on a baking sheet and roast them in the oven for about 1 hour. (The cooking time will depend on whether the beets are large or small.) Check them with a fork. They should be tender when fork is inserted. When they are ready, remove them from the oven and let them cool.
In the meantime, trim the tips of the green beans, rinse them, and steam them in a pot with a small amount of water, a touch of salt sprinked on them, and a lid. Steaming time depends on how “al dente” you prefer them. Personally I prefer them to still have a good crunch, so I cook them on the short side. Once the water is bubbling give them about 5 minutes and test them out to see if they suit your preference. If so, remove them from the steamer and let cool.
Once the beets are cool, remove their skins with a paring knife, and then dice the beets.
Next cut the longer green beans in half so they are bite-size.
Now you can incorporate your salad ingredients. In a salad bowl combine salad greens, beets, green beans, and season. Sprinkle with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper and toss. The beets will add their own beautiful juice to the dressing as well.
Variations: This salad is also wonderful with a small dash of feta if you each cheese, or you could also add some grapefruit for a bit of tang. In the summer you could use grated raw beets instead of roasting them. It is delicious this way as well. You can also add fresh parsley for a bit of contrast too.

Recipe by Christine Curran of Well Being in the Kitchen

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