Quinoa and Beet Salad

Beets...I love this wonderful earthy root vegetable! They are in season June through October, so go out and pick some up at your local farmers market – gold and red. Garden-beet is very low in calories and fat; but is very rich in dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals. Here is a recipe I tried for the first time over the week-end and we loved it!



Quinoa and Beet Salad

6 small golden beets, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch wedges
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar, plus additional to taste
1 garlic clove, smashed
1/2 tsp kosher salt plus pinch and additional to taste
1/4 teaspoon sugar – I use Stevia :)
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed and drained
2 tbsp pine nuts
2 cups baby arugula (I used garden lettuce and it worked fine)
2 ounces crumbled feta
Freshly ground pepper

1. In a pot with a steamer basket, steam the beets until tender, about 12 minutes. Transfer beets to a large bowl and toss with 2 tbsp each of the oil and vinegar; mix in the garlic, salt and sugar. Let sit at room temperature at least 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in another pot, bring the 2 cups water to a boil. Stir in the quinoa and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Fluff quinoa with a fork and let cool.
3. In a small skillet over medium heat, warm remaining oil. Add the pine nuts and cook, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes. Pour pine nuts and oil over quinoa and toss.
4. Remove garlic from beets. Add quinoa and the arugula and cheese to beets and toss well. Season with vinegar, salt and black pepper to taste. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Nutrition facts per serving: (4 servings) 436 calories, 14 g protein, 50 g carbohydrate, 20 g fat (2 g saturated), 7 g fiber.