RECIPE: Beet Salad with Walnuts and Goat Cheese

If you’re looking for a recipe to compliment the flavor of your fresh beets, try the Food Network’s take on beet salad below. The beets are combined with creamy goat cheese and arugula, then dressed with a red wine vinegar and olive oil dressing. Walnuts, another nutrition powerhouse, are added in for some crunch.
The recipe makes four servings – enough to feed your family for dinner or save for a quick lunch for the week.

Beet Salad with Walnuts and Goat Cheese2 Ingredients: 2 bunches medium beets, (about 1 ½ pounds) tops trimmed Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil ½ cup walnuts 1 bunch arugula, trimmed and torn ½ medium head escarole, torn 4 ounces goat cheese, (preferably aged goat cheese) crumbled Directions: Put the beets in a saucepan with water to cover and season generously with salt. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until fork tender, about 20 minutes. When the beets are cool enough to handle, peel them--the skins should slide right off with a bit of pressure from your fingers. If they don't, use a paring knife to scrape off any bits that stick. Cut each beet into bite-sized wedges. Whisk the vinegar with salt and pepper, to taste, in a large bowl. Whisk in the olive oil in a slow steady stream to make a dressing. Toss the cut beets in the dressing; set aside to marinate for at least 15 minutes or up to 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread the nuts on a baking sheet and oven-toast, stirring once, until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Cool. Toss the arugula and escarole with the beets and divide among 4 plates. Scatter the walnuts and goat cheese on top. Serve. Copyright 2005 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved.

Beets Fight Chronic Disease, Including Inflammation

When inflammation runs rampant you are vulnerable to a plethora of chronic diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and many other illnesses that are appearing at alarmingly high rates today.
Your diet plays a key role in either fighting or promoting inflammation, and this is one area where beets shine. Beets are a unique source of betaine, a nutrient that helps protects cells, proteins, and enzymes from environmental stress.
It’s also known to help fight inflammation, protect internal organs, improve vascular risk factors, enhance performance, and likely help prevent numerous chronic diseases.³ As reported by the World’s Healthiest Foods:⁴

“[Betaine’s] …presence in our diet has been associated with lower levels of several inflammatory markers, including C reactive protein, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha.
As a group, the anti-inflammatory molecules found in beets may eventually be shown to provide cardiovascular benefits in large-scale human studies, as well as anti-inflammatory benefits for other body systems.”

The powerful phytonutrients that give beets their deep crimson color may even help to ward off cancer. Research has shown that beetroot extract reduced multi-organ tumor formations in various animal models when administered in drinking water, for instance, while beetroot extract is also being studied for use in treating human pancreatic, breast, and prostate cancers.⁵
Drinking beet juice may also help to lower blood pressure in a matter of hours. One study found that drinking one glass of beet juice lowered systolic blood pressure by an average of 4-5 points.⁶
The benefit likely comes from the naturally occurring nitrates in beets, which are converted into nitric oxide in your body. Nitric oxide, in turn, helps to relax and dilate your blood vessels, improving blood flow, and lowering blood pressure.

Read more: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/04/26/beet-salad-recipe.aspx?e_cid=20150426Z1_SNL_B_art_2&utm_source=snl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art2&utm_campaign=20150426Z1_SNL_B&et_cid=DM75078&et_rid=930099995