Healthy beets, sweet mandarin oranges, crisp of onions, freshness of mint all dressed in a honey lime dressing!
I love beets! The vibrant deep red color, slightly sweet plus all its health benefits, its delicious. My favorite way to enjoy them is in a simple salad. Sliced beets, sweet mandarin oranges, crisp onion, fresh mint, dressed in a honey lime dressing. This is a super simple side salad that is not only healthy but a colorful treat for the eyes. Want a non leafy salad, this is a great option.
As they say you should eat a rainbow; foods with natural colors like beets are super healthy and packed with nutrition. Beets are a nutrient dense root vegetable low in calories, fat and cholesterol, making them a heart healthy choice. They also have Calcium, Vitamin A and D as well as rich in iron.
For this recipe you can use fresh beets if you can find them, otherwise canned beets will work just fine. It does need the freshness of an herb preferably mint, but parsley or cilantro will work as well. The honey lime dressing is perfect to add some brightness and a sweet tangy flavor. Try it out.
Makes 2 1/2 cups
Time: 5 mins if using canned beets, 45 mins if using fresh beets
Level of difficulty: Easy
Ingredients:
- 1 (15 oz) Can sliced beets, drain the liquid out. Or about 2 cups of fresh Beets
- 1 1/2 cups mandarin oranges, drain the canned liquid out. Or you can peel and cut out segments from a fresh orange.
- 1/3 cup sliced raw red onion
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint (parsley or cilantro can be substituted)
- 1 tsp EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
- 2 tsp honey
- 2 tsp lime or lemon juice
Method:
- If using canned beets and mandarins, be sure to drain out the liquid before using.
- For fresh beets, peel them, slice them 1/4″ thick, layer in a pan, roast them for 30 mins at 400 degrees Fahrenheit till fork tender.
- For the dressing, in a small bowl mix together, oil, honey, lemon juice salt and pepper till fully combined.
- In a serving dish, layer beets, mandarin, sliced oranges, chopped mint, drizzle dressing on each layer. Avoid mixing as the colors of the beets will run into the other ingredients.
- Crack a few grinds of black pepper on top and you are ready to enjoy!
Tips:
- Because the color of beets will run, this is a salad that you want to assemble at the last minute. If you do it ahead of time the color will bleed making the onions and mandarins red in color as well. You can certainly keep all the ingredients ready separately and make the dressing ahead. Just be sure to assemble at the last minute.
- other ingredients that would go well are sliced celery and diced cucumbers for added crunch. Almonds on top can also add a great crunch if you like nuts.
- Find other simple salad recipes here.