Spinach and Roasted Beet Salad with Honey-Thyme Vinaigrette

Beets and beet salad are an obsession for me. I used to work across the street from the Whole Foods in Encinitas, California. Almost every day I would walk across the street, and pick up my obligatory beet salad and kombucha, plus some fresh fruit for an afternoon snack. So crazy good. If there is anything I miss from that job, it would be the darling person I worked with (I’m so bad at staying in touch with people when circumstances change and I don’t really see them anymore), and being in such close proximity to the deliciousness of Whole Foods.

Fast forward a year and a half later, and my beet addiction continues. Now Mr. Husband is addicted too… “Did you make those beets?” (in reference to these lemon-thyme beets). Sometimes I won’t make beets for awhile… and I’ll forget how good (and good for me) they are. And then I make them and fall in love all over again.

There’s more reasons to love beets than their deliciousness though! The special pigments in beets, called betalins, help with the body’s detoxification process. Beets are also packed with insoluble fiber. Insoluble fiber passes through our digestive tracts mostly intact, and acts like a broom, sweeping our intestines free of unwanted toxins and debris. Mmmm, I love me some good beets!

This salad is heavily inspired by this one, from Sarah over at A House In The Hills. Thanks for your delicious inspo Sarah!

Makes enough for 2

1 bag or small box of spinach

2 medium-small sized red beets

2 medium-small sized gold beets

1 1/2 cup cooked & cooled quinoa

1/3 cup crumbled or chopped sheep’s feta (vegans can omit this, I use Pastures of Eden, and purchase it from Trader Joe’s)

1/4 cup roasted & chopped hazelnuts 

Dressing

3 tbsp olive oil

4 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 1/2 tbsp honey (vegans can replace with agave, brown rice syrup, or maple syrup)

1/4 tsp sea salt

1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves

Recipe after the jump

Begin by preheating your oven to 390 degrees fahrenheit. Scrub and peel the beets. Wrap individually in tinfoil, and place in the oven. Roast for 45 minutes to an hour, until beets are pierced easily with a fork. Allow beets to cool, and slice into 1 inch pieces.

Mix all the dressing ingredients together with a fork (olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, salt, thyme) in a small bowl or jar.

Add spinach, quinoa, most of the feta, and hazelnuts to a large bowl. Add yellow beets, and some of the dressing to bowl. Toss together. Add red beets, and toss lightly. Divide between bowls. Finish with remaining feta, salt & pepper, and more dressing if wanted. Enjoy!