Roasted Beet, Hearts of Palm and Baby Arugula Salad

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Beets have been underrated as a heart healthy option. Not only do they contain blood cholesterol lowering fibre, but they’re also rich sources of folate and a relatively new group of antioxidants known as betalaines.

As for the   hearts of palm, contrary to popular opinion, they don’t contain palm oil. In fact, they provide very little fat. Rinsing the hearts of palm, as with any canned vegetables, helps to reduce the amount of sodium contained.

Among salad greens, arugula has stellar nutritional ratings.  Not only is it packed with carotenoids  such as beta carotene and lutein, it’s also a member of the Brassica family, a potent group of vegetables with anti-cancer action. For those who find arugula to be too peppery, look for baby arugula, a milder form, which is a relatively new to the marketplace. Feel free to substitute baby greens, if you prefer.

Roasted Beet, Hearts of Palm and Baby Arugula Salad

Serves  6

Dressing:
1 tbsp (15 mL) sherry vinegar
2 tsp (10 mL) finely chopped shallots
1/2 tsp (2 mL) Dijon mustard
2 tbsp (25 mL) extra virgin olive oil
1/8 tsp (0.5) mL each salt and freshly ground pepper

Salad:
4 medium beets, scrubbed and trimmed, leaving about 1 inch of stems attached
1 14-oz./398-mL can hearts of palm, rinsed and  drained and cut into ½-inch/ 1-cm pieces
1/2 cup (125 mL) thinly sliced red onion
6 cups (1.5 L) baby arugula or baby greens

In a small bowl, mix together sherry vinegar, chopped shallots, Dijon mustard and salt and pepper. Mix in oil and set aside.

Preheat oven to 425°F/220°C.

Wrap beets tightly in foil and roast in middle of oven for 1 hour, or until tender. Unwrap beets carefully and allow to cool.  Cut off stems and slip peel off beets.  If desired, beets may be prepared  a day ahead,  covered and refrigerated. Cut each beet into 8 wedges.

To assemble salad, add arugula or baby greens, beets, hearts of palm and red onion to a large bowl. Toss with dressing and serve immediately.

Nutritional information per serving
•    Calories: 84
•    Protein: 2
•    Fat: 5 g
•    Saturated fat: 1 g
•    Carbohydrate: 9 g
•    Dietary fibre: 3 g
•    Sodium: 170 mg

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Are you a beet lover? What’s your favourite way to prepare them? Please share in the comment section below.