Roast Beet, Pear and Carrot Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette

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Servings: 8

Cranberries are the little red berry that could. High in Vitamin C and cancer-fighting antioxidants, they also, when grown organically, help support and protect wetlands and waterways that typically surround bogs. Here, their tanginess punctuates sweet-leaning beets, carrots and pears in a colorful, celebration-worthy salad. For a protein bonus, add a small scoop of Organic Valley cottage cheese to each serving.

Ingredients

2 bunches beets
1 red onion, sliced very thinly or minced (small sized)
6-8 cups salad greens
1 ¹⁄₂ cups grated carrots
1 ¹⁄₂ cups peeled, diced ripe pears
1 ¹⁄₂ cups Organic Valley Cottage Cheese (optional)
Dressing
¹⁄₂ cup coarsely chopped Organic Valley Cranberries (fresh or thawed)
1 tablespoon honey
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons honey mustard
8-10 tablespoons olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Wash and trim beets, leaving an inch of stem. Place them in a baking pan, add water to reach 1/4 inch up the sides of the pan and cover tightly with foil. Bake until tender when pierced with fork, 45-60 minutes. Cool beets; peel and finely dice them.

2. To make the dressing: Combine cranberries, honey and 2 tablespoons water in small saucepan. Simmer until cranberries are tender, 2-3 minutes. Use a blender or food processor to puree the cranberry mixture. Add vinegar and mustard; blend briefly to combine. Add olive oil gradually, blending until dressing is thick and smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

3. Toss diced beets and red onion with enough dressing to coat. Thin 2-3 tablespoons of the dressing with a little water and toss with the salad greens. Pile greens on a platter or divide onto individual salad plates. Pile or portion beets onto greens. Toss grated carrots with some of the thinned dressing, also. Garnish salad(s) with carrots, diced pears and, if desired, scoops of cottage cheese.

Copyright by Terese Allen