Arugula and Beet Salad in a Curry Vinaigrette
Sweet and colourful, beets will certainly brighten up any meal! Their brilliant red hue comes from pigments called anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants studied for their disease-prevention potential. Beets, arugula, and celery are good sources of dietary nitrates, which preliminary research has linked to improved athletic performance and blood pressure regulation.
This arugula and beet salad is great anytime, but terrific when fresh beets and apples are in season. If you’re in a hurry, you can use canned beets in this recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. beets, cooked and peeled (about 4 cups cut up)
- 3 green onions, minced (or about 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion)
- ½ cup raisins
- 4 cups of young arugula leaves
- 2 firm apples
- 1 cup celery, chopped (about 2 large stalks)
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Curry Vinaigrette
- 1-2 cloves garlic
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. curry powder
- 1/2 tsp. fresh grated ginger
- 1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Directions
- Scrub the beets, wrap in foil and bake on a cookie sheet or in a pan at 400° for 30 minutes (this may take longer depending on the size of the beets). Beets will be tender when their skin is wrinkled and slips off easily.
- While the beets are cooking, prepare the vinaigrette. Mix together the garlic, salt, curry, ginger, and rice vinegar. Then add the olive oil. Set aside.
- When the beets are cooked, unwrap and place them on a plate to cool. When cool enough to handle, peel, slice in half, and then into wedges. Toss them with 2-3 tbsp. of the curry dressing and half of the green onions. Set this mixture aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. (You can do this the night before serving.)
- Quarter the apples and slice them into thin pieces (size of sliced mushrooms). Combine the apples with the celery and raisins, and the rest of the green onions and dressing.
- To serve, arrange the beets on the arugula, and spoon the celery/apple mixture on top. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Alternatively, you can gently mix all ingredients together (just be aware that you’ll have beet-tinted apples and arugula!).
Makes eight 1/2-cup servings.
Nutrition per 1/2 cup serving
- 170 calories
- 3 g protein
- 23 g carbohydrates
- 9 g fat (<1 g sat),
- 0 mg cholesterol
- 4 g fiber
- 150 mg sodium
- 500 mg potassium
- 60 mg calcium
- 40 mg magnesium
Sheila Kealey is a health promotion consultant, writer, and athlete passionate about encouraging lifestyle habits that promote good health. She has a Masters’ degree in Public Health and has collaborated on many research studies related to diet and health. Sheila is Head Coach of the uOttawa Gee-Gees Nordic Ski Team , ski races herself, and loves to run (she is motivated to keep her favourite event – the 5k – under 20 mins, and has a marathon PB of 2:57). Sheila likes developing healthy recipes, and sharing advice on nutrition, physical activity, sports science, and tasty nourishing foods. You can follow her on twitter, Instagram, or visit her website.
Recipe adapted from Food for Thought: Healing Foods to Savor, by Sheila Kealey and Vicky Newman with Susan Faerber. California: Regents of the University of California, 2012.