Roasted Beet & Goat Cheese Salad
“The way to the heart is through the stomach.”
TRUE!
The foods we eat play a huge role in determining our heart health - and we all know that a good meal can make us feel heart-warmed.
This Valentine’s week, celebrate the auspices of the heart with my rich & crisp roasted beet and goat cheese salad.
Why It’s Wild:
Besides being a rich, deep red color that we associate with love, beets are also heart-shaped - a feature that corresponds to the doctrine of signatures: the belief that foods resemble the systems they best support.
Beets have been shown to lower blood pressure, and even support a reduction in heart disease. Chock full of Vitamin C, minerals, and betaine (a compound that helps the body produce adequate amounts of stomach acid) - and even promotes lower homocysteine levels (homocysteine is a substance harmful to blood vessels).
Walnuts, another heart-shaped food, are rich in omega 3 fatty acids, which are excellent for the heart. These antioxidant fats help protect the body from hypertensive stress, and promote muscle function with heart-healthy phenols.
Goat cheese is an excellent alternative to traditional cow dairy and its softness & tangy flavor compliment the crispness of the lettuce and the walnuts.
Ingredients:- 1 head baby bibb or Boston lettuce
- ¼ cup walnuts
- 4 tbsp goat cheese
- 2 beets, cubed
- Sea salt
- Pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil
To Make:
-Set oven to 365 degrees F. On a medium baking tray, drizzle cubed beets in olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 15-25 minutes, depending on desired tenderness.
-While beets are still in the oven, place walnuts on a small baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes, or until lightly toasted.
-Wash and dry lettuce. Allow beets to cool.
-Toss beets and lettuce together with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Add dots of goat cheese and top with walnuts.
Ta-Da! A heart healthy meal for two. Enjoy!
To The Tru Of You,
