Once again, my tendency towards salads with a few fresh, simple ingredients is showing up. Vegetables, cheese and a little oil and vinegar – it is how I like to eat. I was asked why I’m not posting complicated dressings or elaborate salads. Well, I post what I eat and I eat simple things more often. And not just because I am lazy. Ahem.
Beets + cheese = awesome is the theme of this salad. I didn’t always love beets. Well, I liked cooked beets, but hated cold, canned pickled beets. In fact, I thought all saald beets were pickled, so I never ate them. But my mother-in-law grows and serves beets. Deliciously. And when I was pregnent, I started craving beets and that never really went away. I normally see them on menus paired with goat cheese in a salad, but the tang of blue cheese really accentuates the earthiness of the beets. This salad is a great starter when you want to fancy things up for a special dinner, but don’t have a lot of time.
Beet Salad with Blue Cheese and Arugula
Serves 2 (easily doubled)
2 beets, cooked and sliced (Steamed, Roasted or purchased)
1 heaping tablespoon crumbled blue cheese (how heaping at your discretion)
2 cup (ish) arugula (about 1 cup per plate, give or take)
salt and black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar (you may not need all of the oil/vinegar)
- Slice beets
- Arrange arugula on a plate (or platter or bowl)
- Top with beets
- Sprinkle with blue cheese
- Add salt and pepper
- Using a spoon, bottle or dropper, carefully drop oil and vinegar on to salad. (True confession: I use the medicine syringes that come with infant tylenol. Work great)
- Enjoy
Alternatively, you could reduce the amount of arugula and double the beets and mound in center of the plate for a more formal, composed salad look.
