All Arminda

I’ve been drooling over this salad recipe since I bought a new cookbook two weeks ago. Actually, I’m not above admitting that I purchased the cookbook for this very recipe. Don’t act like you haven’t done the same thing. I’ve got my standards, though. I will only purchase a new cookbook if there are a minimum of three recipes I will definitely use in it. That’s reasonable, right? This just happened to be recipe #1 on that list. Don’t worry about the other two, I’m sure they’re in there somewhere, and as soon as I find them, I’ll share the results with you.

For now, though, can we just say, “Oh my yum!” together?! This salad was phenomenal (only don’t ask my daughter because she has issues with beets, apparently, and avocados, too, but I’m not claiming those dysfunctional genes). Each bite was like delivering the essence of summer directly to my waiting taste buds and upon arrival, there was much rejoicing.

Every single bite was a perfect blend of simple and fresh.

I’ve adapted my recipe from the original found in the wonderful cookbook, for the love of SALAD by Jeanelle Mitchell, and it can either be purchased here at Amazon or here at Anthropologie.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 medium-sized roasted beets
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp honey
• 2 T red wine vinegar
• 1 T raspberry vinegar
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 romaine heart, torn into bite-sized pieces
• 4 cups spinach
• 1 large pink grapefruit, cut into sections
• 1 large, just ripe, avocados, sliced
• 1/2 small sweet onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS

1. Cut roasted beets into slivers and chill
2. Whisk mustard, honey, red wine vinegar, raspberry vinegar, and olive oil together in a small bowl or measuring cup. Set aside.
3. Combine beets, romaine hearts, spinach, and grapefruit in large salad bowl. Toss with vinaigrette, add avocados and pecans.
4. Serve.

MY ALTERATIONS

1. I doubled the vinaigrette, but didn’t use all of it on the salad. It’s a tasty dressing that I can use the extra later.
2. I easily used 2+ romaine hearts
3. 2 grapefruit were chopped because one just didn’t seem sufficient
4. As a child when asked my favorite food, I typically replied, “pickled beets,” and that is a true story you can verify with my mom. Therefore, I had a whole lot of beet in this bowl, but I wanted it that way, and you should, too, if you know what’s good for you!
5. Love avocados. Love. Love. Love. So I chopped up two for my salad.
6. Onions are so often underrated and misunderstood, so I sliced up an entire medium-sized red onion for this beautiful salad, and I’m not disappointed I did.