Deep in my consciousness, I have a terrible hatred of salad. Salads when I was growing up consisted of iceberg lettuce, tasteless tomatoes and some sort of dressing and lots of it. Going back even further to second grade, the principal pointed at my untouched salad and asked me to take one bite. I don’t remember too much about the salad except that it ruined recess. So when approached with salads, it has to be interesting. Greens and a dressing just won’t cut it for me, there has to be a lot going on.
Some standby favorites are a Caesar salad, fried chicken salad, Chinese Won Ton salad and strawberry spinach salad. But as of late, I’ve fallen deeply in love with goat cheese and beet salad.
This salad has it all: crunchy (toasted maple pecans), tangy and creamy (goat cheese), earthy (beets and mixed greens) and slightly sweet (orange juice and balsamic dressing). It keeps my taste buds guessing and when I’m finished, I start planning the next time I can eat it.
The salad is easy to assemble. I make the dressing and maple pecans in advance (walnuts can be substituted), buy precooked beets and bagged lettuce of mix greens. Having everything prepped in advance is a reason for me not to skip eating a salad.
Goat Cheese & Beet Salad
Serves 2 as main entrees or 4 as a side
4 small beets, cooked and sliced*
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2-3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 package of mixed greens
1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
2 ounces goat cheese
Heat a small frying pan over medium heat and add pecans. Toast nuts for 2 minutes and add maple syrup one tablespoon at a time until well-coated. Remove from heat and cool.
In a small jar, add orange juice, balsamic vinegar and olive oil and shake until combined.
In a large serving dish, place greens and arrange beets on top. Crumble goat cheese over salad and add nuts. Add dressing according to taste.
*If you choose to cook the beets yourself: Scrub and trim 4 beets. Place in saucepan, cover with water and bring to boil. Cook for 25-35 minutes until tender. Drain and cool.
My Burning Kitchen 
I would totally eat this, but without the goat cheese. I agree that salads have to “have a lot going on” to make it worthwhile to eat! : )
You know, I hated goat cheese when I first tried it. Even now, it takes me a while to get into it but it kind of works in this salad. So, SO true about salads. 🙂
I would never thing to use frozen juice concentrate in a salad dressing. This sounds delicious!
It is and I think the salad dressing would be equally delicious in other salads as well.
I kind of associate salad with crappy iceberg lettuce and mushy tomatoes, too. I always find salads to be more interesting at restaurants instead of making them more interesting at home. Goat cheese is one of my favorites – I love the creaminess that it brings. Blue cheese is also a winner for me, but it small amounts since it can be overpowering. I’ll pass on those beets though. Ugh.
It seems to have a really good salad at home, you need to have everything ready ala Souplantation-style. I just recently started loving beets but it can’t be alone.