A Weeknight Salad

Check out what we paired with our Weeknight Salad for our friends here. Everyone loved it and thought it was so gourmet! Little did they know how truly easy it is!

Basically anything with beets, we love. We think this recipe is the perfect contrast between sweet roasted beets and creamy goat cheese and crunchy candied walnuts. Right?! How can you go wrong with these ingredients!

We make the dressing ahead of time, and store in the fridge for up to a week. It works on many salads, but is also amazing drizzled over roasted vegetables. It’s all about versatility — let’s face it, we are all busy, so the more ways one recipe can create different meals for us, the better!

And hey, it wouldn’t be a party without cocktails, so if you are looking for a new one to give a try that is super delish, check out our tasty concoction here and you will have yourself an instant menu for your next gathering!

Roasted Beet and Kale Salad with Maple Candied Walnuts

1 1/2 POUNDS BEETS, PEELED AND QUARTERED (OR CUT INTO BITE SIZED PIECES IF YOU’RE USING LARGE BEETS

1 TEASPOON EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

1 CUP WALNUT HALVES

3 TABLESPOONS PURE MAPLE SYRUP

1/4 TEASPOON SEA SALT

1/8 TEASPOON FRESH CRACKED PEPPER

4 PACKED CUPS OF CURLY KALE, WASHED AND TORN INTO BITE SIZED PIECES

THE DRESSING:

3 TABLESPOONS APPLE CIDER VINEGAR

2 TABLESPOONS HONEY (USE MAPLE SYRUP FOR VEGAN)

1 TEASPOON BALSAMIC VINEGAR

1/2 TEASPOON DIJON MUSTARD

1 CLOVE GARLIC, GRATED ON A MICROPLANE OR VERY FINELY MINCED

A PINCH OF SEA SALT

1/4 CUP EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

1. PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 425 DEGREES. LINE BAKING SHEET WITH PARCHMENT PAPER.
2. PLACE THE BEETS ON THE PREPARED BAKING SHEET AND DRIZZLE THE OIL OVER TOP. USE YOUR HANDS TO TOSS THE BEETS IN THE OIL. COVER THE BAKING SHEET WITH ALUMINUM FOIL AND BAKE IN THE OVEN FOR 30-40 MINUTES, OR UNTIL THEY CAN BE PIERCED USING SOME PRESSURE WITH A FORK.
3. WHILE BEETS ARE ROASTING PREPARE THE REST OF THE SALAD. ADD THE WALNUT HALVES TO A SMALL FRYING PAN OVER MIEDUM-HIGH HEAT. LET THEM COOK UNTIL THEY ARE FRAGRANT AND START TO BROWN IN PLACES, SHAKING THE PAN FREQUENTLY. POUR THE MAPLE SYRUP OVER THE WALNUTS AND SPRINKLE ON THE SEA SALT AND FRESH CRACKED PEPPER. LET THEM COOK, STIRRING CONSTANTLY, UNTIL THE MAPLE SYRUP HAS ALMOST EVAPORATED, ABOUT 1 MINUE. REMOVE THE WALNUTS FROM THE PAN AND PLACE THEM ON A PIECE OF PARCHMENT PAPER, SEPARATING THEM FROM EACH OTHER AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
4. TO MAKE THE DRESSING, COMBINE ALL THE INGREDIENTS EXCEPT THE OIL IN A MEDIUM-SIZED BOWL. SLOWLY ADD THE OIL IN A THIN STEADY STREAM WHILE WHISKING THE DRESSING CONSTANTLY. IF THE OIL STARTS TO BUILD UP AT ALL, STOP POURING IT AND WHISK THE DRESSING VIGOROUSLY. IT WILL TAKE YOU ABOUT 1 MINUTE TO WHISK IN THE OIL. TASTE THE DRESSING AND SEASON IT WITH SALT, TO TASTE.
5. ADD THE KALE, CANDIED WALNUTS AND IF USING, THE CHEESE OR AVOCADO TO A LARGE BOWL. WHEN THE BEETS COME OUT OF THE OVEN, LET THEM COOL SLIGHTLY AND THEN ADD THEM TO THE BOWL TOO. POUR THE DRESSING OVER THE TOP AND TOSS WELL SO THAT EVERYTHING IS COATED.