Beet and Arugula Salad with Fennel Share this heart healthy salad with your loved one on Valentine's Day! ~vegan & gluten free~
Author: BeginWithinNutrition
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Vegan
Serves: 2
Ingredients
1 large beet or 2 small beets, roasted and cut into hearts
4 cups baby arugula
½ bulb fennel, thinly sliced
¼ cup walnuts
½ avocado, diced
For the dressing:
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
½ shallot, minced
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Wrap beets in tin foil and bake for 30-45 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork. (cooking time depends on size of beets) When tender, remove from oven and let cool. Remove skin and slice into ¼ inch pieces. Use a heart cookie cutter or paring knife to make heart shapes.
Meanwhile, whisk dressing ingredients together adding sea salt and pepper as desired.
Assemble salad and top with dressing, enjoy!
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Not only is February Valentine’s Day, but it’s also Heart Health Month. I guess the two go hand in hand!
This salad is beaming with heart health benefits:
~Fiber filled arugula
~Vitamin E rich walnuts
~High antioxidant beets
~Monounsaturated healthy fats from the avocados
~Potassium packed fennel
Not familiar with fennel?
I admit, it’s an odd looking vegetable. One that’s easily passed by in the grocery store. It kind of hides out down by the beets, rutabagas and parsnips. It is a root vegetable that has a long history of medicinal uses including improved digestion, treatment for anemia, boosting the immune system and increased heart health. One of the reasons it is so beneficial for your ticker is its high level of potassium. Potassium acts as a vasodilator, which means it relaxes the blood vessels allowing blood to easily pump through the body and in turn normalizing blood pressure.
Fennel has a sweet aromatic flavor, similar to licorice. The bulb is the main part of the vegetable; however, fennel fronds can be clipped and tossed into salads or used as a garnish. Raw fennel is crispy and crunchy, which makes it great in a salad!
“I received free samples of California Dried Plums mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by California Dried Plum Board and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.”
Arugula, Fennel and Dried Plum Flatbread, a simple, sweet and savory summertime dinner!
As part of Recipe Redux, I was given samples of California Dried Plums to experiment with. I instantly ripped open the package on the way back from the mail box for a taste! These aren’t the dried plums (aka prunes) that were a staple in my grandma’s diet (for the obvious reasons!)…these were plump, sweet and delicious!
After refraining from eating all the samples, I got down to business. I tossed around the idea of baking with them, but decided to keep them in their whole form as to not mask their natural sugary flavor! For more of a “meal” than a salad, I served this creation on top of a warm flatbread pizza. Salted pumpkin seeds add some crunch and the plums nicely balance out the unique licorice flavor of fennel and bitter greens. I did add some locally made Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, but this recipe can be easily veganized by leaving it out
Arugula, fennel and dried plum flatbread, a simple and sweet summertime meal! Makes 8 servings
Author: BeginWithinNutrition
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Vegetarian
Serves: 8
Ingredients
1 whole wheat pizza dough
2 cups arugula
¼ cup salted pumpkin seeds
¼ cup fennel, sliced thin
½ cup California Dried Plums, chopped
⅓ cup parmigiano reggiano flakes (optional)
Balsamic Vinaigrette:
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1.5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 California Dried Plums
sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Cook pizza dough on an oiled pan or pizza stone on 450 degrees for 15 minutes or until lightly golden.
Meanwhile, combine arugula, pumpkin seeds, fennel, and California Dried Plums in a large bowl. In a food processor, blend together olive oil, balsamic vinegar and dried plums until dried plums are pulverized. Drizzle vinaigrette on salad and toss to coat. Taste and adjust sea salt and pepper as needed.
Serve arugula salad on flat bread, top with parmigiano reggiano flakes and enjoy!
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May kicks off National Osteoporosis Month, a time to bring attention and awareness to the disease that affects 9 million Americans. (National Osteoporosis Foundation) Making changes in your diet and lifestyle are essential for prevention and slowing the progress of osteoporosis. Getting adequate vitamin D and including foods high in calcium, potassium, magnesium, vitamin K and vitamin C is essential for bone health.
Did you know dried plums help support healthy bones?
Emerging research shows that eating dried plums may have positive effects on bone health. Previous studies discovered that eating 100 grams (two servings; about 8- 10 dried plums) of dried plums for one year was associated with increased bone mineral density (BMD) and improved indices of bone turnover in postmenopausal women. At Experimental Biology, March 28- April 1, 2015, a current study presented as a poster, examined whether 50 grams (one serving; about 4-5 dried plums) would be as effective as the larger dose. The results indicated that one serving of dried plums may be as effective in preventing bone loss in older, osteopenic postmenopausal women.
(www.californiadriedplums.org)
California dried plums can be added to savory recipes such as this one, or can be a healthy substitute to baked goods!
If your recipe calls for butter or oil as the fat source, you can reduce your fat by half and then add and replace what you have taken away with the same measurement of prune purée. Just remember to reduce your sugar by half in most recipes, since the prunes are naturally sweet.
Check out the other Recipe Redux California Dried Plum creations!
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