Shayna's Scrumptious Beet Salad with Goat Cheese

I had this salad over five years ago at a book group hosted by Shayna and Kristen Proctor. I've been thinking about it ever since. I finally decided to ask Shayna for the recipe and voila, here it is. It's a little labor-intensive but well worth the effort. Thanks, Shayna and Kristen!

8 medium beets (about 4 pounds)

1/2 to 1 cup of real maple syrup (I use a half of cup it is so expensive)

1 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (Reduce to 1/4 tsp for kids or non-spice lovers)

2 TBS red wine vinegar

2 TBS olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

Salt to taste

1/2 cup goat cheese

Mild greens like butter lettuce, spinach, mache

Green apples

Pine nuts (or another nut)

Celery (optional, but awesome)

Avocado

***Make the beets ahead of time so that they can cool so they don't end up melting the goat cheese.

Scrub the beets, cut off tops and bottoms, but don't peel them. Boil beets on medium heat for 25 minutes (water level should be one inch above the beets). Let the beets cool, then peel and cut into half-inch cubes. DON'T POUR OUT THE COOKING WATER.

Add maple syrup, cayenne pepper, and cubed beets to the beet water. Bring to a boil for another 30 minutes until they are sweet and hot. Remove the beets and boil the liquid for another 10-20 minutes until the liquid is thick. You will use this liquid for the dressing, but can save the extra liquid to cook beets in later. (Maple syrup is expensive, so you might want to reuse it.)

DRESSING:

Two tablespoons beet syrup (the water, beet, syrup stuff), vinegar, olive oil, garlic, and salt to taste. You may want to double the amount of dressing, because it's nice to have a little more. 

Combine mild greens, and then add beets, apples, nuts, and chosen optional ingredients. Toss with dressing just before serving so it doesn’t turn pink.

From Merrilee Gottfredson through Shayna Proctor and Kristen Proctor Westenskow.

Quinoa salad

Salad:
5-6 cups cooked quinoa
3 cups corn
1/2 cup chopped fine red onion
1/2 chopped red pepper
1 cucumber chopped
1 little round of queso fresco (optional.  or maybe use home-made ricotta)
cherry tomatoes if you want
Avocados are yummy in it if you want

Dressing:
1/4 cup white wine vinegar (regular white works too)
1/4 cup lime juice
4 cloves garlic
1/2 t. salt
1/3 c. sugar
1/3 c.  canola oil
1 bunch of chopped cilantro

Mix salad ingredients together.  If you don't add the avocados in the salad, but instead on top, the salad lasts very well in the fridge for a week.

Blend all the dressing ingredients well before adding the finely chopped cilantro.  Sometimes I just throw that in the blender too.

Mix all together and enjoy.  I have changed the original recipe to my liking.  It is a forgiving recipe.  Add whatever veggies you like.  The original recipe called for 1 cup of oil.  I think 1/3 or even less is just fine.  It is very good with the cheese mixed in, but if you are planning on eating it all week (it makes lots)  the cheese and avocado are good just sprinkled on.

Poppy Seed Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
2 T. fresh lemon juice
2/3 c. sugar
Half a purple onion
1-2 T. mustard
1t. salt
1/2 t. paprika
1 1/2 T. poppy seeds
1 c. canola oil

Puree all ingredients and enjoy.

This is good on any green salad, but I prefer the leafy greens and spinach. I also like to add something sweet to the salad like grapes, apples, or Craisins. Blue cheese, gorgonzola, avocados, sliced red onion, sugared almonds, sunflower seeds, and any other splurge tastes great with this salad.

This recipe makes a lot, but it keeps well in the fridge for a few weeks.