"Curry" Up and Try a Delicious Beet Salad! This quick-curry recipe jazzes up cooked beets within minutes! Mixing the beet's earthy sweetness with citrus and a hint of curry spice is a delicious combination. Plus - beets, curry, and walnuts are quite nutritious offering incredible health benefits.
Curry Health Benefits
Native to Southeast Asian cuisines, curry powder and leaves may help protect against heart disease, reduce Alzheimer's disease symptoms, ease inflammation, boost the immune system, and remove toxins from the body. These are some of the many reasons (besides the fabulous taste) to pump up the "heat"!
Go "Nuts" for Walnuts!
High in plant-based Omega-3 fats, walnuts are delicious nutrient-dense nuts that may help improve cardiovascular function, balance weight control, and improve brain function. Toasted walnuts also provide a great balance to beets and lemon juice.
This Curried Beet and Toasted Walnut Salad pairs well with rice (brown, white, or jasmine - whichever you prefer) and naan. Enjoy!
CURRIED BEETS WITH TOASTED WALNUTS SALAD RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
4-5 small-medium beets*, fresh if possible
1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt (more to taste)
2 tsp curry powder (use less if sensitive to spice)
1/4 cup toasted, chopped walnuts
fresh dill to garnish (optional)
a dash of coconut milk or plain Greek yogurt (optional)
*Although using fresh beets is best, if time is an issue, use packaged organic baby beets, such as Love Beets. 4-5 small baby beets should suffice. When selecting fresh beets, see these tips: selecting quality beetroots and beet greens from the market.
OPTIONAL PAIRINGS
Because I am not super savvy at making naan from scratch, I use ready-to-eat Garlic Naan from Trader Joe's. If following a gluten-free diet, use a gluten-free grain of your choice and/or bread for dipping in the delicious sauce seeping from the beets and walnuts.
DIRECTIONS
1. Remove any greens from the beets (leaving an inch or two of stalk to prevent bleeding) and rinse clean. Save beet greens for a tasty sauteed side-dish.
2. Boil or steam beets. To boil, place beets in a pot of hot water, making sure water is covering tops of beets. Boil 30-35 minutes or until beets are easily pierced with paring knife or fork. Steaming beets for about 20 minutes is also a good way to cook beets while retaining their vibrant color and nutrients.
3. While the beets are cooking, chop the walnuts and toast lightly in a dry frying pan.
4. Mix the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and curry powder in a small bowl. Adjust to taste.
5. After beets are cooked, drain the water from the beets and immediately immerse in cold water to cool. Slide off the skins.
6. On a cutting board (avoiding wood-grained boards are best), slice beets in half from top to bottom, and then slice each half into quarter inch wedges. Slice smaller (matchstick) if preferred. Add to a salad bowl.
7. Toss the beets with the dressing. Sprinkle the walnut pieces on top, and serve warm or cool.
STILL HUNGRY?
