Beet and Roast Beast Salad-- and More

I was going to start this post with a quote about cooking and creativity. Actually, I was going to start it with something smart-assed from Dwight Shrute about beets, but then I went down a rabbit hole of delightfully goofy The Office memes and had to come up for air. Hoping not to be further detered, I will dispense with the niceties and just jump in. If you are, in fact, needing a quote validating the art and creativity in cooking, the internet is rife with affirmation, providing you don't actually try to solicit it from anyone. Writing on the internet can be a cold place; feedback is not in abundance, so it gets sent out in the world to wiggle and flounder about ... it really is like the egg hatching and walking away without looking back. 

That said, we'll put the egg aside and go back to beets. If you are a FODMAP foodie like myself, roasted beets are a delicious disaster. Such a high level of sugar in the beets can cause havoc, but a willingness to use canned beets instead of fresh will allow the beets to shed their sugars, which are water-soluable. If you get to eat fresh roasted beets, enjoy! They are a treat. This salad works well with either preparation of beets; the crunchy pistachios, strips of roast beef, peppery arugula, feta and a lively orange vinaigrette work together on the palate.The earthy flavor of the beets and meat, and the lightness of the rest of the salad make something that tastes rich without being heavy. This was prepared for dinner tonight and was super simple, full-flavored, and lighter than one might expect. I wanted more, but know when to quit, and we have leftover ingredients for another one later in the week.

Instead of giving you exact measurements of some ingredients, I'll give you a shopping list. This will allow you to play with the quantities to your liking. Taste often in the process... I took this from another online recipe which I altered significantly during the process. 

Beet and Roast Beef Salad

 
Ingredients:

• 1 1/4-inch slice of roast beef  (a salmon fillet would also be good here)*
• 1 bunch beets, roasted and sliced/1 can of beets,sliced
• 6 cups plus of baby arugula
• 1/4 or so cup of pistachios, coarsely chopped
• 1/3 cup or so of crumbled feta (I like the Vikos goat/sheeps milk feta)

• Vinaigrette 
  
  
• 2 Tablespoons orange juice
• 2 Tablespoons balsalmic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 1 full teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• pinch or two of salt (not to heavy, the feta is very salty)
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil 
• black pepper to taste 

Slice the beef into strips and set aside. In a salad bowl, assemble the arugula, feta, pistachios and beets. (I used about 3/4 of a can) Do not toss yet. In either a small mixing bowl or jar with a lid, add the orange juice, vinegars, mustard and sugar and salt and whisk/shake. Then add the olive oil to the quantity which works for you. I found 2 tablespoons to be just right for my taste. Toss salad with the vinaigrette, adding it in as you go to avoid overdressing. Serve on plates alongside the roast beef slices. 

* If you are avoiding meat, you can add more pistachios and edamame to the salad for some more protein, or cooked tofu would work as well. (In this case, I would recommend dressing the salad with the tofu already added in.)