Ingredients:
3 medium, or 5 small, beets trimmed and washed
Hass avocado, thinly sliced
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
6-8 cups mixed salad greens
5 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup chopped pistachios or other nuts, toasted (optional)
Dressing:
2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tablespoon minced shallot
2 tablespoons olive oil
1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoons sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Wrap the beets in parchment paper then in foil and roast for 30 minutes to 1 hour (depending on size), until fragrant and tender. Remove from oven, cool, and peel. Cut into small cubes, thin slices, or julienne.
2. While the beets are cooking, make the dressing. Bring the orange juice and shallots to a boil over high heat in a sauté pan. Decrease the heat to medium and simmer until the liquid has reduced to about half, about 20 minutes (but it could happen faster, so don’t wander too far away). Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.
3. Slowly whisk the oil, lemon juice, and sea salt into the orange juice. Taste the dressing, you may need a spritz of lemon, a pinch of salt, or a few drops of maple syrup.
4. To assemble the salad, toss the avocado slices with the lemon juice to prevent them from browning. In a large bowl, combine the greens, avocado, and beets. Coat lightly with the dressing.
5. Arrange the salad on a plate and top with goat cheese and toasted pistachios.
Serves 6