BEET SALAD >> with blueberries, pecans, and feta

This beet salad is brought to life with the addition of arugula berries, feta, and pecans. The vibrant colors make this salad appear fancy but it is surprisingly easy to make. Especially if you steam your beets ahead of time in an Instant Pot!

My auntie introduced me to the idea of adding blueberries to beet salad and I must say that it is a welcomed addition. The blueberries add a pop of color and extra burst of sweetness.

You could swap pecans for any other nut or seed like walnuts, slivered almonds, or sunflower seeds. I love the crunch of adding some nuts but you could always opt for extra feta instead!

The salad has a beautiful balance of fibre-filled carb from the beets, volume from the berries and arugula, and fats from the feta and pecans. Serve it alongside some grilled chicken for some protein to make this salad a complete meal. I've even topped the leftover salad with dry curd cottage cheese for a quick protein-packed lunch!

The pecans and feta offer healthy fats so I opted for an oil-free, low fat marinade knowing that the salad had ample fats from these flavourful ingredients. My marinade included a blend of balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, dijon mustard, and garlic. 

BEET SALAD

INGREDIENTS

SALAD:

• 6 medium (800g) beets, steamed
• 4 cups (80g) arugula
• 1/2 cup (60g) feta
• 1/2 cup (60g) pecans, chopped
• 1 cup (140g) blueberries

MARINADE

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 1 clove of garlic, finely minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Steam your beets until they are tender when pierced with a fork. I used an Instant Pot!
2. Meanwhile, prepare the marinade by blending the balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, dijon mustard, garlic, and salt in a small blender. Alternatively, thoroughly combine the marinade ingredients using a whisk or fork.
3. Marinade the steamed beets in the dressing overnight or as you prepare the other ingredients.
4. Toast the pecans in a frying pan on medium heat until fragrant.
5. Layer the arugula in a large bowl. Top the arugula with the marinaded beets, feta, toasted pecans, and blueberries.
6. When you are ready to serve, toss the salad and enjoy!

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

This meal has a beautiful balance of fibre-filled carbs from the beets, fats from the pecans and feta, and volume from the berries and arugula. While the feta and pecans offer some protein, you can boost the protein and complete the meal by pairing the salad with a protein like grilled chicken. For a quick lunch, I like to toss the leftover salad with a serving of dry curd cottage cheese. Dry curd cottage cheese has a texture much like feta but is mild in flavour and will take on the flavour of the beets and balsamic marinade! I recommend the dry curd to avoid adding extra liquid to the salad as found in classic cottage cheese.

I WANNA KNOW!

Did you try this recipe? Comment below! Snap a photo and tag me on Instagram so I can see your creation!