healthy recipe: glazed beat and carrot salad

Normally, on the weekends, I seldom crave wholesome foods. By that I mean, pastas, meats, potatoes, rice, even peanut butter and in all reality a good cup of coffee will do just fine, except when I come across an amazing salad from my favorite site here. Then I just can’t stop craving.

GLAZED BEET + CARROT SALAD // Serves 4

• 1/2 Tbsp. butter
• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 large yellow beets, roasted and peeled, cut into 1/2” wedges
• 3 carrots, halved, large halves quartered if needed
• sea salt + pepper
• 2 tsp. honey
• 3 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. tahini
• 1 Tbsp. orange or lemon juice
• 1/4 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley, divided
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 12 cups mixed baby lettuces
• 1/3 cup cooked garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds, white or black or mixed

In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter in the olive oil. Add the carrots and beets and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring once or twice, until the carrots are crisp-tender, about 5-6 minutes. Add the honey and 2 tablespoons of the vinegar and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until tender and lightly glazed, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a large bowl to cool.

Whisk the remaining tablespoon of vinegar, tahini and citrus into the skillet along with the cumin and a generous pinch of the chopped parsley.

Toss the baby lettuces, remaining parsley and garbanzos with a light coating of the tahini dressing. Plate the greens and top with the carrots, beets and sprinkle the sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

* You can prepare the salad a day in advance by making the carrots and beets as directed, and keeping them covered in the fridge overnight. The dressing can also be kept covered in the fridge for up to a week. Toss everything and assemble just before serving.

{please click here for photo and recipe credit}

healthy eating – arugula salad recipe

I actually got tired of eating the same leaves day in and day out, so one day while shopping at my favorite grocery store,  I decided to bring home a box of freshy cut and washed arugula to test out.

Although I have had them many times in restaurants, I never considered consuming them at home. Don’t ask. Anyway, I brought them home and decided to experiment and to my surprise I was able to create a great tasting salad from a recipe I found here and now arugula has become my choice of leaves.

Ingredients:

6 cups arugula leaves
1 mango, peeled and cut into long slices
1 avocado, peeled and sliced
½ red onion, sliced
1 tbs lime juice
Spicy orange vinaigrette
1 tbs champagne vinegar
4 tbs orange juice, about ½ orange
2 tbs lime juice, about ½ lime
4 tbs olive oil
½ tsp cumin
2 tbs finely chopped cilantro
1 red chili or hot pepper, sliced
Salt and pepper

Preparation:

1. Combine all the ingredients for the salad dressing in a jar, close it tight and shake until the ingredients are well mixed.
2. Soak the onion slices in warm water with a dash of salt and 1 tbs lime juice for about 10 minutes.
3. Rinse and drain the onions slices.
4. Toss the arugula leaves with half of the vinaigrette.
5. Add the avocado slices, mango slices and onion slices to the arugula mix, drizzle the remaining vinaigrette on top.
6. Serve immediately.

Let me know what you think?