Elevate Your Plate: A Vibrant Pickled Beet Salad with Pears, Walnuts & Goat Cheese Drizzled with a Homemade Sweet Red Wine Vinaigrette Dressing
This post is brought to you in partnership with Paisley Farms. All opinions expressed are genuinely my own. Your support for the brands and products that make An Affair from the Heart possible is greatly appreciated.
Embrace the Art of Eating in Color
There’s an undeniable joy that comes from looking down at your plate and seeing a symphony of colors. Beyond the visual appeal, a colorful meal often signifies a plate packed with diverse nutrients and wholesome ingredients, promising a more satisfying and beneficial dining experience. This philosophy guides us towards healthier, more delightful culinary choices, especially when the external environment might lack vibrancy.
During the long, often dreary winter months, when the world outside feels perpetually cold and grey, our bodies and minds naturally crave freshness and vitality. While there’s certainly comfort in enjoying a hearty, warm meal during this season, every so often, a refreshing salad becomes an absolute necessity. It serves as a delightful palate cleanser and a vibrant reminder of the spring and summer seasons to come. Time has a way of flying by, and before we know it, swimsuit season will be upon us. So, rather than fully embracing a “bear-like” hibernation diet, let’s infuse our winter meals with lightness and color.
Introducing a Refreshing Pickled Beet Salad Sensation
I am absolutely delighted to once again partner with my esteemed friends at Paisley Farm. This collaboration brings you an exciting new recipe that creatively features their exceptionally flavorful Sweet Pickled Beets. You might recall our previous culinary adventure just last month, where we showcased these versatile beets in a surprisingly rich and moist Chocolate Beet Cake – a true holiday favorite. As promised, we’ve now transitioned from decadent desserts to lighter, more vibrant fare, proving that beets are an incredibly versatile ingredient, perfect for any time of the year. This salad is the ideal January reset, or a bright spot on any table, any day.
Unveiling the Remarkable Health Benefits of Beets
To merely state that beets are “good for you” would be a significant understatement of their impressive nutritional profile. These vibrant root vegetables are truly a powerhouse of health benefits, making them an invaluable addition to a balanced diet. Their striking crimson color is more than just aesthetically pleasing; it’s a testament to the potent, health-promoting compounds packed within. Let’s delve deeper into why beets deserve a prominent place on your dining table:
- Robust Immune Support: Beets are an excellent source of immune-boosting Vitamin C, a crucial antioxidant that helps protect your cells from damage and plays a vital role in supporting a strong immune system, especially beneficial during colder seasons.
- Optimal Digestive Health: Rich in dietary fiber, beets are champions for digestive wellness. Fiber is essential for maintaining regular bowel movements, preventing constipation, and contributing to a healthy gut microbiome. Furthermore, the fiber content can aid in weight management by promoting satiety and reducing overall calorie intake.
- Essential Mineral Richness: These humble roots are loaded with essential minerals such as potassium and manganese. Potassium is critical for healthy nerve and muscle function, maintaining proper fluid balance, and regulating blood pressure. Manganese, on the other hand, is vital for bone development, metabolic processes, and providing antioxidant protection to cells.
- Folate for Vitality: Beets contain a good amount of the B vitamin folate (B9), which is fundamental for cell growth, repair, and overall function. Folate is particularly important during periods of rapid growth, such as pregnancy, where it plays a key role in reducing the risk of birth defects.
- Natural Detoxification Aid: The unique betalain pigments responsible for beets’ deep crimson hue are powerful antioxidants with remarkable health benefits. These compounds actively support the body’s Phase 2 detoxification process, where toxins are neutralized and prepared for excretion. Historically, beets have been valued for their ability to cleanse and support liver health and purify the blood.
- Potential Cancer-Fighting Properties: Emerging research suggests that the potent phytonutrients found in beets, particularly the betalains, may possess significant anti-cancer properties. Studies indicate these compounds could help inhibit the growth of cancer cells, positioning beets as a valuable component in a health-conscious, cancer-preventive diet.
Source: Mercola
Crafting Your Effortless Pickled Beet Salad
Incorporating these delightful Paisley Farm Sweet Pickled Beets into a salad is not only incredibly simple but also transforms an ordinary bowl of greens into an extraordinary culinary experience. Their perfectly balanced sweetness, complemented by a subtle hint of cinnamon, instantly elevates the flavor profile with absolutely minimal effort on your part. To assemble this vibrant and nutritious salad, we start with a generous bed of fresh organic spring mixed greens, creating a crisp and tender foundation. On top of this, we artfully layer our star ingredient: the drained Paisley Farm Sweet Pickled Beets, ready to impart their distinctive tangy sweetness and brilliant color.
To further enhance the salad, we introduce thin slices of a crisp, fresh pear, which offers a wonderfully sweet and juicy contrast to the beets. Next, we scatter crunchy toasted walnuts, adding an essential textural element and a rich, nutty flavor. The final touch of savory indulgence comes from a generous sprinkling of creamy crumbled goat cheese, which provides a delightful richness that perfectly harmonizes with the sweetness of the beets and pears. The entire masterpiece is then gently drizzled with a homemade sweet red wine vinaigrette dressing. This dressing is remarkably quick to prepare, consisting of just a few pantry staples: high-quality olive oil, finely minced garlic, a touch of raw honey for sweetness, and red wine vinegar, all seasoned simply with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. This elegant dressing effortlessly unites all the diverse flavors, creating a truly memorable salad.
Should you desire to transform this refreshing side dish into a more substantial main course, consider adding some lean grilled chicken, pan-seared salmon, or a hearty plant-based protein like roasted chickpeas or black beans. The inherent versatility of this salad makes it perfect for a quick, healthy lunch, a stunning appetizer, or an impressive side dish for any occasion.
Discover the Paisley Farm Difference: Quality from Our Farm to Your Table
If you haven’t yet had the pleasure of discovering Paisley Farm Foods, I wholeheartedly encourage you to take a moment and explore their comprehensive website. Their fundamental mission centers on making fresh, incredibly delicious vegetables readily available and effortlessly accessible for your home kitchen. This unwavering commitment to both quality and convenience is beautifully reflected in every single jar of their exceptional products.
The Paisley Promise: A Legacy of Flavor and Freshness
“Paisley Farm has been putting smiles on faces since 1945. Our recipe for success is simple: work with fresh vegetables, uniquely combined to deliver flavor on demand. Our products are there for you, at your fingertips, just when you need them, to prepare meals for your family. From side dishes and appetizers to garnishes, dips, non-GMO, organic ketchup and our legendary bean salads, Paisley Farm has a complete line of vegetable products to complement your culinary imagination and make every meal memorable. From farm to jar to you, that’s the Paisley Promise.” – Paisley Farm Foods
With a rich legacy spanning over 75 years, Paisley Farm has meticulously perfected the art of preserving the natural goodness and peak freshness of vegetables. Their extensive and diverse product line, which ranges from beloved classic pickled vegetables to innovative bean salads and wholesome organic ketchups, offers an endless array of possibilities for enhancing your everyday cooking. They truly exemplify their promise of delivering unparalleled quality and ultimate convenience, making it remarkably easier than ever before to integrate wholesome, vibrant, and flavorful ingredients into your family’s cherished meals.
Excited to create this simple yet elegant salad in your own kitchen? Let’s dive into the full recipe details!
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Print Recipe
Pickled Beet Salad with Pears, Walnuts & Goat Cheese
Spring mixed greens with pickled beets, pears, walnuts & goat cheese drizzled with a homemade sweet red wine vinaigrette dressing.
Prep Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 10 mins
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Pickled Beet Salad with Pears, Walnuts & Goat Cheese
Servings: 2 dinner salads
Calories: 779 kcal
Author: Michaela Kenkel
Ingredients
- About 4 healthy handfuls of Organic Spring Mix greens
- 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
- 1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
- 1 pear, sliced
- 1/2 cup Paisley Farms Sweet Pickled Beets, drained
- For the Dressing:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 Tablespoon raw honey
- 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- Salt & Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing by placing the olive oil, minced garlic, raw honey, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper into a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake vigorously until all ingredients are thoroughly combined and emulsified. Set aside.
- Divide the organic spring mixed greens evenly onto two individual serving plates. Artfully arrange the drained Paisley Farm Sweet Pickled Beets, fresh pear slices, toasted walnuts, and crumbled goat cheese over the greens.
- Just before serving, generously drizzle the prepared sweet red wine vinaigrette over each salad. Serve immediately to enjoy the optimal freshness and vibrant flavors.
Nutrition Information
| Calories: 779kcal
| Carbohydrates: 51g
| Protein: 19g
| Fat: 59g
| Saturated Fat: 14g
| Polyunsaturated Fat: 43g
| Cholesterol: 26mg
| Sodium: 633mg
| Fiber: 8g
| Sugar: 32g
Connect with Paisley Farm: Your Source for Fresh Vegetables
For even more delightful recipes, detailed product information, and to easily locate store nearest you carrying their wonderful products, we highly recommend visiting the official Paisley Farm website. Discover how their commitment to farm-fresh vegetables can inspire your next culinary masterpiece and simplify your meal preparations!
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