Roasted Beet and Pistachio Salad

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

1 pound yellow, red & Chioggia beets

Zest of 1/2 lemon

Zest of 1/2 orange

4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

Sea salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/3 - 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil or grapeseed oil

1/2 cup pistachios, roasted and roughly chopped*

1/4 cup fresh mint, finely chopped

*Buy raw pistachios in the shell and roast them in a 350° F oven, until fragrant. Let cool, remove from shell and chop. (Already roasted pistachios are too salty.)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Place washed beets on a baking sheet and cover with aluminum foil. Bake about 1 hour, or until tender. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. When cool enough to handle, loosen skins from beets with a paper towel or a thin knife. Cut beets into a large 1 ½-inch dice.        

Whisk together the lemon and orange zest, lemon and orange juice, sea salt and black pepper. Stream in the extra virgin olive oil or grapeseed oil to desired consistency and taste.

Toss the beets with the roasted pistachios and chopped mint. Pour desired amount of vinaigrette over the beet mixture and toss to coat.  Top with additional sea salt and black pepper.

Extra vinaigrette can be stored in the refrigerator in a tightly covered container for up to 1 week. 

Original recipe, Lisa Dixon Arose, BS, MBA, Certified Personal Chef

Dietetic Intern, Bastyr University & Medical Unit Intern at The Dr. Oz Show