Quinoa Salad with Roasted Beets.

Were there beets in your organic baskets over the past few weeks? Are you short of ideas on how to use them?

Freshly harvested beets are so sweet, here's a nutritious salad recipe that's a welcome change from the routine and makes the most of these delicious roots.

Cooking the beets and chickpeas in advance makes the recipe super-quick to prepare for busy weeknights.

Ingredients:

• Salad:

  • 200 g quinoa

  • 3 medium beets

  • 200 g cooked chickpeas

  • 100 g feta cheese, crumbled

  • A handful of fresh parsley, chopped

  • 2 tablespoons sunflower oil

  • Salt and pepper to taste

• Vinaigrette:

  • 4 tablespoons sunflower oil

  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

  • 1 teaspoon honey

  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (390°F).

2. Prepare beets:

   • Wrap each beet in aluminum foil.

   • Place on a baking sheet.

3. Roast beets:

   • Bake for approximately 45-60 minutes, until tender (check with the tip of a knife).

   • Allow to cool, then peel and chop.

4. Cook the quinoa:

   • Rinse quinoa under cold water.

   • Cook according to package instructions (generally in twice its volume of boiling salted water, for around 15 minutes).

   • Drain and leave to cool.

5. Prepare vinaigrette:

   • In a bowl, combine sunflower oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, salt and pepper.

   • Whisk until smooth.

6. Assemble the salad:

   • In a large salad bowl, combine cooled quinoa, chopped roasted beets, chickpeas, crumbled feta cheese and chopped parsley.

   • Pour dressing over salad and toss gently.

7. Serve:

   • Adjust seasoning if necessary.

   • Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Here's how to prepare this dish, which can be served as a main course or side dish in summer or autumn. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as my family did, and that you'll choose beets in your next organic basket!

If you'd like to exercise your culinary creativity, this salad also lends itself to many variations to vary the pleasures, for example :

1. Nuts and seeds: Add toasted nuts or sunflower seeds for a little crunch.

2. Fresh herbs: Replace parsley with mint or coriander for a different flavor.

3. Dried fruit: Add cranberries or raisins for a sweet touch.

4. Additional vegetables: Add fresh spinach or arugula for extra greens.

5. Spices: Enhance vinaigrette with cumin or smoked paprika.

6. Protein: Add grilled chicken or shrimps for an even heartier dish.

And if you want to go even further, why not try growing your own beets in your own garden? Detroit Dark Redis an excellent heirloom red beet variety and a favorite of your family farmers.

For another highly original beet, try Chioggia beet, an Italian variety with an interior of concentric red and white circles like Christmas canes! You can find all these seeds and many more in our online store.

Feel free to share your own variations on this recipe in the comments below!

So now you've got everything you need to experiment with this delicious recipe for roasted beet quinoa salad, and to develop a new appreciation for local, organic beets that you can enjoy all season long.

If you're curious and want to learn more about our organic basket program, visit this page or download our harvest calendar!