roasted beet, purple cabbage and lentil salad ~vegan, gluten free~

Roasted Beet, Purple Cabbage and Lentil Salad

Need to press the refresh button after a weekend of partying?  This salad is a delicious way to get your diet back on track!

Roasted Beet, Purple Cabbage and Lentil Salad ~ vegan, gluten free~ A clean eating, antioxidant rich salad for detoxification~

There’s a whole lot of antioxidant power going on in this salad with roasted red beets and raw purple cabbage!  Lentils are added for a protein punch making this a well-rounded meal.  Did you know purple cabbage comes from the cruciferous vegetable family?  One of the most powerful veggies out there thanks to a compound called indole-3-carbinol, which is known for its anticancer effects and capability to speed up detoxification!

Every time I roast beets I’m reminded about how much I LOVE them!  I kept sneaking bites, I’m surprised I had any left for the salad!

Note to self: Next time roast more beets for snacking on!

Roasted Beet, Purple Cabbage and Lentil Salad ~ vegan, gluten free~ A clean eating, antioxidant rich salad for detoxification~

The original recipe was found here from Food & Wine.  I altered it by dropping the bacon and blue cheese and switched up the dressing a bit.  I hope you like it :)

Roasted Beet, Purple Cabbage and Lentil Salad
 
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This recipe makes 2 large dinner salads or 4 smaller side salads.
Author:
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Vegan
Ingredients
  • ½ cup dried lentils, picked over and rinsed
  • 3 beets, roasted
  • 2 cups purple cabbage, chopped
  • 2 cups Boston lettuce, ripped into bite sized pieces
  • For the vinaigrette:
  • 2 tablespoons shallot, minced
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • ½ tablespoon maple syrup
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Lentils:
  2. Add lentils to a small saucepan, cover with a few inches of water and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until lentils are tender. Drain off excess water and let cool.
  3. Beets:
  4. Preheat oven (or toaster oven) to 425 degrees. Rinse and trim beets and wrap them in foil. Place in oven for 45-60 minutes (depending on size of beets) or until easily pierced with a fork. Let cool and peel skin away, chop into bite-sized pieces.
  5. Vinaigrette:
  6. Add shallot, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, dijon mustard and maple syrup to a bowl. Slowly whisk in olive oil and season with sea salt and pepper.
  7. Salad:
  8. Place all ingredients in a large bowl, drizzle with vinaigrette and enjoy!

raw beet slaw

This is the beet salad I mentioned in yesterday’s post.  Warning…it is highly addictive!

raw beet slaw

Beets are on my “Superfood List” because of their phytonutrient called betalains.  This phytonutrient is essential for the detoxification process and quenches inflammation in the body.  Research is showing that these powerful red pigments may also slow tumor growth…exciting stuff!   Beets are also great for pregnant women thanks to the B vitamins and iron essential to cell development and replenishing the body!

All the nutrition facts aside, beets just make you feel vibrant and alive!  In the Yogic world beets are said to support the first chakra or the “root” chakra, which keeps us grounded, energized and secure.  The root chakra is red, and beets are a red root…maybe there’s a connection here?

My sister-in-law shared this recipe with me.  She is studying nutrition at Bauman College in Northern California.  Once again, I modified the recipe a tad and this is what I came up with…

 raw beet slaw

Raw Beet Slaw

2 raw beets, shredded (I used a mandolin)

2 carrots, grated

1 apple, diced

2 scallions, chopped

½ cup pecans

½ cup unsweetened, shredded coconut flakes

juice of 1 orange

juice of 1 lemon

drizzle of olive oil

salt to taste

raw beet slaw

Mix all the ingredients up in a large bowl, chill for at least an hour (if you can wait that long, I couldn’t) to let flavors blend.

Raw Beet Slaw

Enjoy!

www.beginwithinnutrition.com

pasta with beet greens, garlic and raisins

pasta with beet greens, garlic and raisins

Poor beet greens, overshadowed by its beautiful and sweet root they are often cut off and cast aside.  Many of us usually eat the beets while the greens wilt in the back of the refrigerator.  Don’t be guilty of this crime the next time you buy beets!  The greens are jam packed with nutrients that shouldn’t be wasted!

Beet greens contain high levels of vitamin K, which is essential for our blood to clot and works with calcium to build strong bones.  Vitamin K is said to alleviate morning sickness for all you pregnant women out there!  The greens also contain high levels of beta-carotene.  The body converts beta-carotene into Vitamin A, which is essential for growth, development, immune function and vision to name a few!  Beta-carotene is also an antioxidant that prevents oxidative damage warding off cancer and premature aging.

I made a beet salad in yesterday’s Spring Renewal Nutrition & Yoga Workshop.  I knew I could not let the beet greens go to waste again, so I came up with this recipe for dinner tonight.  I have to say, it was pretty tasty!  The heat from the red pepper flakes is balanced by the sweetness of the raisins creating a savory dish.  I used Tinkyaka brown rice pasta for a gluten-free pasta alternative.

Pasta with Beet Greens, Garlic and Raisins

1 bunch of beet greens washed and chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

½ red onion, chopped

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more depending on your taste

2 cups low-sodium organic vegetable broth

2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

½ cup raisins

½ cup olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

-Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

-Add red onion and sauté until caramelized.

-Add garlic and sauté until garlic is slightly golden but not burnt!

-Carefully add beet greens to skillet and cook until wilted.

-Stir in broth, red pepper flakes, raisins, salt and pepper.

-Simmer for 5-10 minutes.

-Serve over pasta and garnish with toasted pine nuts.

ENJOY!

pasta with beet greens, garlic and raisins