Beet and Arugula Salad with Fennel
Share this heart healthy salad with your loved one on Valentine’s Day!
- 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
- 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
- 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.
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!
Recipe adapted from Vegetarian Times
