I was craving HEALTHY……..I had recently bought a ton of golden beets because I love them roasted with salt, pepper, and olive oil, puréed into a gorgeous soup with coconut milk and ginger, just so delicious. I had no idea at the time what the heck I was going to use them for. It’s just that whenever I see them at the grocery store I can’t help it, I have to buy them.
I fell in love with them a few years ago when I was going to the farmer’s market every week in search of a vegetable that was fresh and local that I had not cooked with before, all in an effort to expand my vegetable horizons.
So back to HEALTHY…….with all of the heavy holiday foods, sweets, work parties, dinners with friends celebrating, I just wanted something hearty and filling but filled with nutritious seasonal ingredients. This was the perfect thing which could be an easy work lunch or quick satisfying dinner, eaten cold or hot. I happened to have some turkey tenderloin in the freezer so I made a quick dry rub and roasted that. It was a perfect pairing. Vegetarian or with the turkey, could go either way. For dressing my GO-TO is my own homemade balsamic vinaigrette that I pretty much have in the frig all the time. It just goes with anything and can be modified to go with asian foods, indian, also makes a nice drizzle for pizza.
On the left shows all the ‘add-ins’ and the wild rice, the roasted beets.
On the right shows all ingredients incorporated with the dressing as a close up and below is the presentation view.
seasonal yet light and a refreshing vitamin boost to counter all the heavy holiday foods
- 1 1/4 cups wild rice, uncooked
- 1-2 medium carrots, julienned
- 2 stalks celery, sliced thin on the diagonal
- 1 small red pepper, small dice
- 8 small golden beets, roasted
- 1/2 cup pecans, roasted and salted
- 1/2 cup cranberries
- olive oil, to dress the salad
- balsamic dressing homemade . or store-bought
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Cook wild rice according to package instructions. For added flavor add a vegetable bouillon cube to the water. Once cooked, spread into a thin layer on a plate or flat-ish bowl to allow cooling.
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Peel beets, cut of root ends and slice into thin slices. Put in a shallow baking dish, drizzle beets w/ olive oil, salt/pepper to taste. Cover with foil and roast at 425 deg for approx 25 min. to soften. Remove foil and continue roasting until browning and lightly carmelized.
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In a separate bowl add the carrot, celery, red pepper, pecans and cranberries.
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Add beets to the prepared 'add-ins', add the rice. Drizzle with balsamic dressing and some olive oil (optional)
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Stir well to blend together.
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Store covered in refrigerator, may be served hot/cold/ or at room temperature.
- Substitutions are endless, use slivered almonds instead of pecans. If you have cashews, use them. Anything goes.
- Green beans, green peppers, zucchini squash, red onion, mushrooms, tomatoes.......................ENDLESS.......get creative
- Protein is a nice addition for those non-vegetarians out there. A turkey burger, the roasted turkey tenderloin with the dry rub mentioned in the blog, any type of fish.......again, very adaptable.
- Instead of cranberries, use raisins, dried apricots, dates, figs.
