Strawberry Beet Salad

Beets are one of my favorite vegetables.  Not only are they beautiful, and have a sweet earthy delicious flavor, but they boast lots of health benefits as well.  Most people know that they are high in iron, which is good for the blood but they are also high in vitamin C which is good for boosting immunity, and potassium which is good for nerve and muscle function.  So they are all around a very healthy vegetable to be eating. They are wonderful cooked, but they can be served raw as well to preserve even more nutrients, which is how they are served in this recipe.  It requires no cooking!  Raw beets have a sweet flavor similar to carrots.  In this salad, I pair them with strawberries for a delicious flavor combination!  This salad is great as a side with a protein for a light Spring meal!

Author: Amy Lyons O’Neil

Amy has worked for Fresh and Natural Foods since 2006 contributing to the variety of healthful foods we offer. She graduated with a degree in studio art from Bethel University in 2007, but in her senior year of college, found that her passion was with the art of food. She later used her photography and culinary skills to create a vegan food and recipe blog, Fragrant Vanilla Cake. She has also written 3 cookbooks. She specializes in vegan and vegetarian recipes. Local, fresh and organic food has always been her focus in whatever she creates.

Twitter Facebook

Servings: 4 | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 0 minutes | Ready in: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• Dressing:
• 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries
• 2 Tbsp avocado oil
• 3 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/8 tsp sea salt
• Salad:
• 1 bag baby spinach
• 2 raw red beets, cut julienne
• 2 cups strawberries, sliced
• 1 small shallot, sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

1. In a food processor, for the dressing, combine the 1 1/2 cups strawberries avocado oil, lemon juice, sea salt, and puree until smooth.
2. In a large bowl combine all other ingredients except the pecans, then pour the dressing over and toss to coat.
3. Sprinkle with pecans and serve!