Have you ever been stumped by beets in the kitchen? We’ve got just the recipe for you from our friend Michelle of Farm Belly. This hearty salad takes kitchen staples (like beets and kale) and jazzes them up with a generous dusting of fresh mint and a zippy citrus-za’atar vinaigrette.
Ingredients
For the salad
- 3 large (or 4 small) beets
- Olive oil
- Salt & pepper
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 bunch of kale, chopped (or use beet tops, if available)
- 1/2 cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
For the Citrus-Za’atar Vinaigrette
- Juice from 1 orange (3-4 tablespoons)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- 1 1/2 teaspoons za’atar (buy local if you can)
-
Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F. Wrap the beets individually in foil and drizzle each beet with a teaspoon of oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast for 45-50 minutes until tender and easily pierced with a paring knife. When cool, remove skin and chop into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
- While the beets are roasting, cook the quinoa: Bring 1.5 cups of water and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt to a boil in a small or medium saucepan. Stir in 1 cup uncooked quinoa, lower the heat to a simmer and cover. Cook for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, add the chopped kale (or beet tops, if available) to the top of the quinoa, then re-cover the saucepan and let the greens steam for 5-10 minutes. When done, fluff the quinoa and greens lightly together with a fork.
- While the quinoa and kale are cooking, make the citrus-za’atar vinaigrette: Combine all the vinaigrette ingredients in a mason jar and shake vigorously until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Combine the quinoa/kale mixture, roasted beets, chopped walnuts, and chopped fresh mint together in your salad bowl. Drizzle on the citrus-za’atar vinaigrette and stir everything gently to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed – I usually add a bit more salt and pepper.
Recipe notes and variations
If you’re not familiar with za’atar (pronounced ZAH-tar) it is a supremely aromatic eastern Mediterranean spice blend – typically consisting of toasted sesame seeds, dried thyme/oregano/marjoram, cumin, sumac, and salt. I love using za’atar to spice up a vinaigrette, but it’s also fabulous for seasoning meat, fish, and vegetables or just sprinkle it on top of just about anything – hummus, baba ganoush, yogurt, bagels, chickpeas, popcorn, etc. On a root-to-stem cooking note – if you’re making this recipe and have beets with tops, you can (and should!) use the beet greens instead of kale in this recipe.
This article originally appeared on Imperfect Produce.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.
I use my Instant Pot constantly, so I’m always looking at new recipe ideas. But so many of them use boxed and packaged, processed foods that are totally unhealthy! I’m sure some of you have seen them too. So I thought I’d put together a list of healthy, clean eating recipes you can make in your Instant Pot!
Just like with a slow cooker, an Instant Pot cooks meals that are only as healthy as the ingredients you put into it. You could make a very unhealthy soup with tons of packaged, processed ingredients, or you could use real-food, healthy ingredients for a healthy soup. It’s all about what you put in it that matter most. So yes, if you use healthy ingredients, cooking in an Instant Pot is very healthy!
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Yes, no and it depends. When Instant Pots first came out, everybody raved about these super short cooking times. Usually anything from 1 to 10 minutes! Technically, the weren’t lying. The cook times on an Instant Pot CAN be that short. But what they forget to mention is the amount of time it takes to come to pressure and to release pressure if the recipe calls for a “Natural Release”.
Tijuana87
This will depend on the temperature (fresh or frozen) of the food and quantity (how much food you put into the pot). It can take anywhere from 5 minutes to 30 minutes. So be sure to read through the recipe before you start making it so you can gauge how long the recipe will really take.
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This one depends on the recipe as well. Some will call for a “Quick Release”. Meaning, you can open the valve and release all the steam quickly. This will take about 1-2 minutes approximately. (Please don’t burn yourself on the steam!)
If a recipe calls for a natural release, it will (or should) always give you a time for this. Often, I see a natural release of anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes. Meaning, you don’t do anything. Once the cooking is done, you simply let it sit for the number of minutes indicated in the recipe. You will see the count down on your IP timer. Just be aware that there could still be steam in the pot. So once the natural release time is over, you’ll still want to open the valve BEFORE you open the lid. Otherwise, you could experience the explosion of a pressure cooker lid being shot off the cooker by the steam.
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- Instant Pot Detox Vegetable Soup by Recipes From A Pantry
- Easy Instant Pot Pepper Steak by The Girl On Bloor
- Instant Pot Fajitas by Little Sunny Kitchen
- Instant Pot Salmon by Savory Tooth
- Caramelized Onion Mushroom Kale Crustless Quiche by Wholesome Yum
- Chicken Vindaloo by Piping Pot Curry
- Instant Pot Quinoa Taco Bowls by Simply Happy Foodie|
- Instant Pot Summer Soup by Pinch Of Yum
- Fesenjan (Persian Pomegranate Chicken) by A Calculated Whisk
- Instant Pot Smothered Pork Chops by Beauty And The Foodie
- Vegan Lasagna Soup by Vegan Richa
- Instant Pot Frittata by Monday Is Meatloaf
- Instant Pot Dal by Recipes From A Pantry
- Egg Roll In A Bowl by Melanie Cooks
- Prawn Linguine Pasta by Little Sunny Kitchen
- Instant Pot Meatballs by A Calculated Whisk
- Instant Pot Cabbage Side Dish by Simply Happy Foodie
- Red Wine Beef Stew by Sidewalk Shoes
- Instant Pot Greek Chicken by Noshtastic
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Want more great recipes for clean eating? Check out the author’s book, Clean Eating Freezer Meals.
This article originally appeared on TheGraciousPantry.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.
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Featured Image Credit: Farm Belly.
