roasted beet salad + cherries + goat cheese = northwest envy.

If I told you I spent last week in the Pacific Northwest, blissfully eating my way through Seattle, would you judge me as Head Frugal Foodie?  You would if you heard how many eateries we tried (more on that later)…

I’m not kidding, I think I might have a calling to organize food tours through cities.  I really feel it’s a gift.  I picked up one of those brochures advertising a food tour and no joke it was $69 per person!  Well thanks but no thanks…we organized our own food tour of the city and it was everything a foodie (and her waistline) could want or need (or maybe not need, if we’re speaking for the waistline).

A highlight on our food exploration was this popular restaurant in a quaint neighborhood overlooking Seattle, where their award-winning chef sets the menu based on what is in season at the local markets that week.  We tried a spectacular beet salad and loved it so much I immediately went to work to recreate it, heading to a local farmers market for beets, cherries, arugula, even cheese from a local farm!

Seattle, you’ve captured my foodie heart.  You and your fresh seafood, your local rainier cherries, your latte art…

So here it is – a roasted beet salad with cherries, goat cheese and toasted nuts.  This one ain’t kid-friendly; in fact, if your kids eat this one up I want to know your secret…and if they don’t, well that just leaves more for you.

Roasted Beet Salad with Cherries, Goat Cheese and Toasted Nuts

(a FFF original – serves 4)

What You’ll Need:

For the Beets:

1 bunch beets (about 3)

1 tablespoon olive oil

For the Salad:

1 cup pitted cherries

1/2 cup toasted pecans, walnuts or hazelnuts, coarsely chopped

4 ounces goat cheese

handful of arugula

For the Vinaigrette:

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoons minced shallots

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:

For the Beets:

Preheat oven to 425F.

Scrub beets and trim off the stems.  Place on a piece of foil and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil.  Wrap foil around the beets and place in the oven for about 45 minutes, or until tender.  Unwrap and let cool, then use your hands or a knife to peel off the skin.  Cut into 1/2 inch cubes and set aside.

For the Vinaigrette:

In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients.

I like to make my salad dressings in a mason jar and shake the heck out of it.  It’s a good way to work out aggressions, I think   Taste and season as needed.

For the Salad:

In a medium bowl, place beets, cherries and toasted nuts.  Toss with the vinaigrette (you may not use all the dressing, just depending on how you like your salad).  Top with arugula and dollops of goat cheese.  I like to serve on a large platter and have everyone serve themselves, but you could also plate individually as well.

Nutrition:

264 calories per serving

22 grams of fat

17 carbs

4 grams protein

2 grams fiber

Did you give it a try?  Leave me a comment below or head over to Facebook and let me know what you think!