38 Power Foods, Week 4 -- Beets -- Golden Beet-Ricotta Salad with Fresh Cherries and Caramelized Shallots

In St. Paul, as nearly everywhere, it's hotter than...   Well, you fill in the blank.  We're cooking a bit, but not much.  This sweet-tart salad's beets cook in the microwave.  Even if you make the cheese, it'll only take you a total of about twenty-five minutes.  Most of those minutes are waiting for the microwave to beep and the milk to come to a quick simmer to create the cheese curds (hence the word "curdle," friends).  This salad is filling without being heavy and is perfect for meatless Mondays.

I wish you cool winds and cold wine.  Try this:
 


Golden Beet-Ricotta Salad with Fresh Cherries and Caramelized Shallots 
serves 2-4 (2 as a main course, 4 for a first course)

    ingredients:

• 6-8 cups fresh greens, chilled or not
• 6 small-medium gold beets, roasted in the microwave*
• 1/2 cup fresh, sweet cherries stemmed and pitted 
• 6 small shallots, sliced and carmelized**
• 1/2 c fresh ricotta (You can sometimes find fresh ricotta at a good cheese shop; it's dear.  You can use regular store-bought or fresh goat cheese or  good cottage cheese in a pinch.  If you want to make it, here's my recipe.* Use the cheese after it drains 15 min.)
• 1tsp finely grated orange rind
• 1T fresh lemon juice
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 T crushed, toasted hazelnuts or almonds, optional

Dressing ingredients:  1T sherry vinegar, generous pinch sea salt and freshly ground pepper, 1/2 t finely minced garlic, 1/2 t honey, 3T extra virgin olive oil.  Whisk (or use a fork) together all but olive oil.  Then drizzle in the oil one tablespoon at a time, making sure all of the oil is incorporated before adding the next tablespoon.   Two hints: Let the salt dissolve in the vinegar and don't over beat the dressing.

Making cheese is oh-so-simple. THIS cheese anyway!

  directions:

1. Make sure greens are clean and free of water.  Use a salad spinner if necessary.  I don't mind room temperature greens, but you might like them chilled.  Place them in a large bowl.
2. Sprinkle in cooked shallots and toss lightly with your hands.
3. Scatter the beets evenly on top of the salad and mound the cherries in the center.
4. Add 2-3 small scoops of fresh cheese around the cherries.
5. Add orange rind and sprinkle lemon juice evenly.  Dust with salt and pepper, making sure each pile of cheese gets an extra smack of pepper,
6. Add dressing to taste and toss quite well to distribute the soft cheese evenly.  Sprinkle with nuts, if using.
7. Serve immediately.  Does not keep.  Eat it all!

*To "roast" beets in microwave:  Clean, scrub, and trim the roots off the beets, leaving about an inch of greens on each. Rub in a little olive oil over each beet.  Place beets in a microwave-safe casserole, cover, and cook on high for 10 minutes.  Carefully (HOT!) uncover and pierce with small, sharp knife to make sure they're tender.  Let cool a few minutes and rub skins off with paper towels.  Slice off greens and a bit of the top of the beet and then slice into 1/4" pieces.  copyright Alyce Morgan, 2011

*My recipe is for a basic fresh cheese, but is not ricotta per se.  Ricotta is made totally from fresh milk; my cheese uses yogurt.  Works beautifully here. 

**To carmelize shallots:  Peel shallots and slice thinly.  Place in a small-medium skillet with 1T olive oil and heat to low-medium low.  Let cook slowly 20-25 minutes until soft and browned.  Stir occasionally, but keep a good eye on them.  You don't want them crispy or fried; turn down if you see that happening.                                                     recipe reposted from more time at the table july 9, 2011

Wine:  Very cold rosé or an unoaked Chardonnay.

about beets....
.................a great source of folate...a wonderful antioxidant 
low in calories. ....very low in fat...............come in great
 colors......       
                   
 I like beets cooked, but in fact they're are better for you raw.  Nutrients are lost in the cooking process.  They're lovely grated into salad.  Try it!   Eat 'em up, eat 'em up:  RAW RAW RAW.
Also:  How about the price?  Can't beat it.                                
         One little thing no one mentions:
                                                 You might notice a bit of change in the 
                                                 color of the matter you deposit in the toilet after eating
                                                  red beets.  No, you're not sick; beets are a great dye. 
                                                  Nuff said. 

some people say, but these are not truths carved in stone:

Additional health claims associated with beet juice include:

• Aids circulation
• Beneficial to kidneys
• Builds red corpuscles
• Intestinal cleanser
• Good source of energy
• Helps fight the flu
• Protects against birth defects
• Stimulates the function of liver cells
• Renews minerals and natural sugars in the body     (courtesy dietlovetoknow.com)

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1/2 cup slices (3 oz.)

Amount per Serving

Calories 37

Calories from Fat 1.8

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 0.2g

0%

Saturated Fat 0g

0%

Cholesterol 0mg

0%

Sodium 65mg

2%

Total Carbohydrate 8.5g

2%

Dietary Fiber 1.7g

6%

Sugars 6.8g

Protein 1.43g

2%

Est. Percent of Calories from:

Fat

4.3%

Carbs

81.9%

Protein

13.8%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calories needs

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/thedailyplate/nutrition-calories/food/generic/beets/#ixzz1zaSRdfXq

Read more:  The 11 Best Food You Aren't Eating  (NYT)

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Every Friday for the foreseeable future, I'll be blogging one of the 38 healthiest ingredients from POWER FOODS : 150 DELICIOUS RECIPES WITH THE 38 HEALTHIEST INGREDIENTS by the editors of Whole Living Magazine.

38 Power Foods is a group effort!   Stop by these other blogs and see what they're cooking each week as we team up to bring you some of the healthiest cooking available.

Ansh – SpiceRoots.com  

Casey – bookcasefoodie.wordpress.com 

Jeanette – JeanettesHealthyLiving.com 

Jill – SaucyCooks 

Martha – Simple-Nourished-Living.com

Mireya – MyHealthyEatingHabits.com 

Sarah - Everything in the Kitchen Sink
.
As we go along, I'm guessing we'll get some other writers involved.  If you're interested in joining the gang writing each week, get in touch with Mireya from My Healthy Eating Habits:  Mireya@MyHealthyEatingHabits.com

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If you liked this, you might like:

Golden Beet Potato Salad
 Photos are not terribly good on this post from several years ago, but the salad is lovely!
I'll have to make it again. How fun to see how far I've come.


Sing a new song; dance to a new "beet,"
Alyce