Fresh Beet-Edamame Salad

I must confess to you- it has been quite a while since I have bought beets. Although I absolutely adore the taste of fresh beets, the purple fingers, cutting board, and countertops that come from their preparation unfortunately discourage me from cooking with them on a regular basis. I have been eyeing them up at the local farmer’s market for the past several Thursdays but always left the vegetable booth empty-handed. Last week, when staring down the pile of plump beets, I decided to go for it, and I purchased a handful for cooking. Since I started my first job as a Registered Dietitian on Monday, I wanted to prepare my lunches for the week on Sunday so that I would have nutritious, plant-based meals to power me through my first week of being the new girl.

Cue the mass production of this Fresh Beet-Edamame Salad! The colorful appearance of this dish was the perfect conversation starter for my first week on the job, and I made friendly conversation with several coworkers who came up to me to ask about my lunch. To save time when preparing this recipe, feel free to roast the beets and cook the brown rice on the day before you compile the rest of the salad. Then, on the meal prep day itself, all you will need to do is chop, measure, mix, portion, and refrigerate!

Fresh Beet-Edamame Salad

Yield: 5- 2 cup servings

Ingredients:

▪ 2 large beets, roasted and diced

▪ 1 large yellow bell pepper, diced

▪ 2 large carrots, grated

▪ 1 ½ cups shelled edamame, cooked

▪ 1 ½ cups brown rice, cooked

▪ 2 teaspoons garlic, minced

▪ 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

▪ 3 tablespoons berry juice

▪ 2 tablespoons agave nectar or honey

▪ 1 tablespoon olive oil

▪ 1 teaspoon tarragon

Directions:

 

• Preheat the oven to 450˚F. Take beets, and trim off ends. Rub beets in oil, and wrap in aluminum foil. Place beet packets on baking sheet, and roast for 50-60 minutes.

 

 

• After removing from oven, allow beets to cool for 5 minutes, and then immediately rub under cold water to remove the skin. Dice beets, and place in large bowl.

 

 

• Dice bell pepper. Add to the large bowl with beets.

 

 

• Peel carrots, and shred using a grater. Add to the beet and pepper mixture.

 

 

• To the large bowl, add the remaining ingredients (edamame through tarragon), and mix together to combine flavors and seasonings.

 

 

• Cover salad bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight or for at least 4 hours to allow flavors to meld.

 

 

• Portion salad into 5- 2 cup containers, and take to work for lunch throughout the week. Or, if you would rather enjoy the salad at home, serve alongside bean or meat burgers at your next cookout.

 

Happy cooking!