Roasted Beet Salad with Bleu Cheese and Pine Nuts

I love beets! And this is a great way to prepare them. It takes time to roast the beets, but assembly is a snap.

Ingredients
--Salad--
4 medium beets (~4 oz. each) washed, trimmed, and wrapped in foil
1/2 bunch spinach or arugula or watercress, washed and trimmed
1/4 c. pine nuts
2 oz. or more bleu cheese, crumbled
Additional toppings could include minced red onion, minced fresh herbs, diced apple -- according to your taste. You could also replace pine nuts with toasted or candied walnuts. Bleu cheese could be replaced with goat cheese crumbles.

--Dressing--
1 minced garlic clove
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
Dash of sugar
1/2 tsp. whole grain mustard
Salt and pepper
I like to go light on dressing, but if you like more dressing on your salad, double the recipe.

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 F. Place beets wrapped in foil in oven, and roast for ~1 hour. Remove and let cool. Remove foil and slip off beet skins. Cut beets into quarters or eighths, as you prefer.

While beets are roasting, toast pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium low heat. Stir occasionally and remove from heat once pine nuts are fragrant and a light golden brown.

Also while beets are roasting, combine ingredients for dressing in jar with screw-top lid. Shake to blend and let sit for flavors to infuse.

Once beets are ready, combine greens, beets, nuts and any other ingredients you like (except cheese). Drizzle dressing over top and toss to coat. Add cheese crumbles and toss gently to mix.

Serves 4.

Jessica