Sweet beets, sweet carrots, sweet raisins. This is a salad that even the biggest veggie haters will love! Perfect to make for your Christmas get togethers as there are no leafy greens to go soggy. Add some crunchy protein (pumpkin seeds contain a whopping 30%) and omega-rich seeds, tangy red onion, fresh mint, and the most divine sweet and salty orange and balsamic dressing, and you’ve got yourself a rainbow of goodness in less than 15 minutes.
Beetroot is one of the few vegetables that contain nitrates, which studies have shown to strengthen the heart, lower blood pressure, increase blood flow, lower the risk of dementia, reduce inflammation, and even improve performance in athletes. Get your (heart) beet on!
Ingredients
- 4 beetroot
- 4 carrots
- 1 red onion
- ½ cup raisins
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1 cup mint leaves
Orange Balsamic Dressing
- 1 orange
- 5 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsp chia seed oil
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 1drop wild orange essential oil (optional)
- Cracked black pepper to taste
Method:
- Wash and scrub the beetroot and carrots, and slice off any rough bits. You don’t need to peel them, especially if they’re organic, as a lot of nutrients are in fact in the skin. I’ve used my Vegetable Spiraliser to create long stands of the beetroots and carrots (so quick and looks amazing too). Alternatively you can cut them into match-sticks by slicing them thinly (do the carrots on a diagonal), then grab a bunch of slices and lay them flat and chop into match sticks. Or if you have a grater mandoline you can also use that, or a food processor with a grating attachment or chopping function.
- Thinly slice the red onions and mix together with the remaining ingredients, reserving a few mint leaves, seeds and raisins to sprinkle on top. If you’re using dried and activated seeds they’ll be crunchy already so add as is, otherwise pop your seeds in a dry pan on low heat for 5 minutes, shaking regularly until they start to go brown and aromatic.
- Blend the dressing ingredients in a blender until smooth, then mix through the salad.
- Sprinkle with reserved mint, seeds and raisins and serve!
Recipe Notes
- Use dried and activated seeds if you have them, otherwise lightly toast as per the instructions above.
- I’ve amplified the flavour of this dressing by adding a drop of high-quality therapeutic grade wild orange essential oil to the mix. If you go the lemon route, use lemon essential oil. It’s like a power punch in your cooking. You can find out more about the therapeutic benefits of plant-based essential oils, and how you can use them in your food safely and effectively (and for your physical and mental health too), via the essential oils section on my website.