Salad with Roasted Beets, Goat Cheese & Sugared Pecans
The one upside to eating less and letting your body burn some of its on-board fuel? Everything tastes fanfreakingtastic.
One of the downsides? Arriving home from a long day that ended at the gym ravenous and trying not to nibble my way through enough calories to cancel out those 45 minutes on the elliptical trainer while getting dinner on the table. These are the times my brain becomes a ninety pound weakling easily shoved over by my bully of a stomach.
Did I just date myself?
I’ll tell you something though – I did not settle for just a salad. Greens with roasted beets (golden, this time), sugared toasted pecans and soft goat cheese that melts into maple-balsamic dressing is one of my favourite things. (Who needs whiskers on kittens?)
And even when you’re hungry, it’s worth the extra minutes for toasted, sugared pecans. I want to show you something someone showed me years ago, and now I can’t remember who, but it was one of those little tips that stuck.
To toast pecans (or walnuts) quickly with a bit of a sugary coating, run pieces or halves under water in a colander, then dust them with icing (powdered) sugar, still in the colander.
Shake them about a bit to sort of coat them, then proceed with toasting them in the oven, toaster oven or stovetop. I imagine you could add a shake of spice along with the sugar, too – cinnamon or cumin or paprika. I kind of like the straight-up sweetness. Better than leftover chocolate eggs, even.
That post is great timing for the container of goat cheese calling out to me from the back of my fridge.
I’ve never left a comment here before, but I’ve been following your blog for the past two years since reading about it in Swerve. I really enjoy reading your kitchen/life adventures, and how you love to try neat things with lovely fresh ingredients. As a fellow working-mom, my kitchen hasn’t been the same since you’ve introduced me to things like quinoa, or how easy and delicious soups can be. Keep up the great work and give yourself a pat on the back!
Excellent tip.
Gorgeous salad full of my favourite things too!
What a fabulous trick. So smart!
Hi Julie!
Great minds must think alike – we had the same salad last night, minus the sugared pecans! Thanks for the tip.
Also – I recently went to Tofino over the long weekend, and you and Mike need to head over to Tofino Brewing Co. (http://www.tofinobrewingco.com/). They have a great product (Tuff Session Ale) – Delish!
Thanks for sharing your tips and travels.
Ugghhhhhh!!!!! SO DELICIOUS! I love this salad! And I want it now!!
Golden beets and goat cheese in a salad is my favourite combination. Hands down. I usually make a vinaigrette with a blood-orange vinegar, which is lovely (oranges and beets are an excellent combo). I also often throw in pecans (why do I buy the giant Costco package of nuts? I have no idea), but have never sugared them. Will keep this in mind. Yay!
I have goat cheese in the fridge!!! This is what I’m having tonight. Yay!!!
The salad looks amazing! I’ve also toasted nuts in a dry skillet by sprinkling the sugar on the nuts and letting it caramelize. This way I don’t have to heat up the oven
I have also done the nuts in a skillet with brown sugar and a bit of butter. So very delicious. I love your idea of the oven, though.
Oooh good looking salad!
Where are you finding yellow beets?? I can’t seem to get my hands on any… even tried Planet Organic last time I was in the city.
Wow, that’s what I should have had for dinner! Instead, I sipped on some soup and followed it up with one of your deadly crème bruléggs. Sugar coma.
Julie, this looks delish! What is the recipe for this salad? What dressing recipe did you use?
You don’t need a recipe for a salad! It’s greens topped with chopped roasted beets, crumbled goat cheese and sugared pecans. The dressing I make with 2 parts canola oil to 1 part balsamic, with a squirt of grainy mustard and drizzle of maple syrup.
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