Roast Beetroot and Goats Feta Salad

 

I am one lucky son of a gun. My darling man, alongside being a pretty kick ass chef (and all round lovely not to mention gorgeous fella) is also a pretty dandy gardener and this last week he shared his beetroot bounty with me.

Beetroot is one of those veges that just looks good for you. The colour screams “I have antioxidants” and the fact that it turns your pee red makes me think that it gets right into all the nooks and crannys and spreads its goodness around.

So is it all just a ruse or is this sweet root actually good for you? It’s not good for you- it’s great for you!

Beetroot contains a plant chemical called betaine which seems to help improve energy, stamina and even help to detoxify the liver and kidneys.  It also has a decent whack of folic acid which is pretty great for almost everything particularly heart and brain health.  And speaking of hearts, beetroot is a natural source of nitrites which convert in the body to nitric oxide which dilates the blood vessels and lowers blood pressure.

The flavour of beetroot really lends itself to acidity and creaminess so in this case I set it off with some balsamic and some goats feta.  I used goats feta because it is easier to digest, is naturally homogenised, less likely to cause allergy, has lower lactose and is more nutritious.

 

So whats in it?

·         A couple of fresh beetroot  cut into cubes

·         A good handful of rocket leaves and some thyme leaves

·         100 grams of Goats Feta

·         A pear

·         Toasted walnuts

·         Balsamic vinegar

·         Olive Oil

·         Salt and Pepper

How do you do it?

Cut up the beetroot into cubes and season well with salt and pepper and sprinkle with thyme . Chuck into the oven with some olive oil and roast for about 40 minutes or until softish.

Place salad leaves in a bowl and top with roasted beetroot, pear slices (I did this with a peeler) feta and toasted walnuts. Drizzle in olive oil and balsamic, throw over some thyme leaves and season and serve.

I ate this whole lot up in one little sitting with a nice glass of cider. Yum!

 

Enjoy!