Beet and orange salad

Yesterday's bleary weather made me crave some color in my plate, so I decided to make a recipe with red beet.  Not only is beet one of my favorite vegetable, it is also one that we should all include in our diet.  Did you know that it can keep bad cholesterol at bay?  Studies have shown that consuming beets regularly can lower your LDL cholesterol by as much as 30%.  It also contains a compound known as betaine which can reduce inflammation in the joints, bones, throat and blood vessels by 20%, making it a vegetable of choice for people suffering from, amongst other things, osteoporosis and asthma. 

I was in the mood for something summery as well, since my son had asked me to boil some corn on the cob for dinner.  I know, corn season is not for quite a few months still, but I have to admit that although I undercook it, it was really good. 

Here is the recipe:


BEET AND ORANGE SALAD (YIELDS 4 SERVINGS)

 

 

Ingredients

 

 

6-8 beets ends chopped

3 oranges

1/2 cup hazelnut

 

 

Method

 

Boil beets until you can easily insert a fork in the middle (approximately 20 mins).  They could also be roasted in a foil in the oven with some olive oil (approximately 1h25 mins).  Once beets are cooked, let them cool completely and peel the skin off.  To avoid having deeply red stained fingers you can wear some gloves (although I never do and it disappears after within a day).  Slice the beets and cut in half moon shape.  

 

Using a sharp knife, peel the skin off the oranges making sure there is no membrane left.  DO NOT DISCARD the membranes as you will need them later.  Cut the oranges in wedges. 

 

Place beets and oranges in a serving bowl and add the hazelnuts (a made a mix of sliced and whole ones).  Squeeze the membranes on top of the bowl in order to get as much juice as possible.  Serve and enjoy!     

 

Have a great day!

Amelie