Trias Oh-So-Spring (And Totally Good for You!) Salad
Chill a white wine, take this dish to the porch and welcome spring. Bon appetit!
The city is finally feeling like spring. Trees are starting to bud, winter coats are being left at home and the days are getting longer. And there’s no better way to celebrate the perfect weather than with a colorful and healthy meal.
You’ll love Tria’s recipe for roasted beet salad. Not only because it will brighten your plate without ruining that awesome bikini-ready figure you’ve been working on, but also because while marveling over the flavorful contrast of the thinly sliced onion, almonds and balsamic, you’ll know you’re treating your body to an awesome mix of everything good for you. The beets alone offer a whole laundry list of health benefits, like being high in beta-carotene, a potent antioxidant that helps protect against cancer, heart disease and arthritis. And you know that gorgeous crimson color that always stains your teeth? It’s caused by betacyanin, another powerful cancer fighter.
So chill a white wine, take your plate to the porch and welcome spring. Bon appetit!
Arugula with Beets, Goat Cheese, Crushed Almonds, Red Onion and Balsamic Vinaigrette
From Jennifer Harris, head chef at Center City’s Tria
(Note: roasted beets, almonds and vinaigrette can be picked up at the store if you’re not into cooking!)
Ingredients
5 oz. Roasted Beets (see below)
1½ oz. Baby Arugula
½ oz. Thinly Sliced Red Onion
1 oz. Crushed Almonds (see below)
1 floz. Balsamic Vinaigrette (see below)
a dash of Sea Salt
a dash of Black Pepper
1½ oz. Fresh Goat Cheese
Instructions
Combine all ingredients except the goat cheese in a small mixing bowl. Gently mix the salad with tongs until all ingredients are coated with the dressing. Arrange the salad on a plate. Crumble goat cheese on top.
Roasted Almonds
Ingredients
1 pound Raw Almonds
1 oz. Ground Fennel Seeds
a dash of Sea Salt
a dash of Black Pepper
1 floz. Olive Oil
Instructions
Roast almonds in a 400 degree oven until they are deep brown, about 30 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid burning. Remove from oven and coat the almonds with ground fennel seeds, salt, pepper and oil. Allow the almonds to cool before serving or storing
Roasted Beets
Ingredients
1 pound Raw Beets
1½ floz. Olive Oil
a dash of Sea Salt
a dash of Black Pepper
¼ oz. Finely Diced Red Onion
¼ lemon’s worth of Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
¼ floz. Balsamic Vinegar
¼ oz. Honey
Instructions
Peel and cut the beets into ½ cubes. Toss with 1 floz of olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast the beets in a 300 degree oven until they are tender, about 120 minutes. Remove from oven and allow the beets to cool to room temperature. Toss the beets with the remaining ingredients.
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Ingredients
1½ oz. Minced Roasted Garlic
¼ lemon’s worth of Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
¾ oz. Dijon Mustard
1 cup Balsamic Vinegar
2¾ cups Olive Oil
Instructions
Combine all ingredients except olive oil. Using hand blender, mix well for about 2 minutes. While continuing to mix with the hand blender, slowly drizzle in olive oil to form an emulsion.
