Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Know Your Roots Salad


This vegetable and wheat berry filled salad is my new favourite. Roasted beets and sweet potato, with cinnamon (I thought the cinnamon would be weird but it's amazing). Mix that with sauteed beet greens or kale and lots of garlic, some sunflower seeds or walnuts and a simple dressing. It's total magic. And it's the perfect warm fall salad, though I definitely ate it a few times this past summer. I'm so happy it's finally October, I've waited all year for it! Halloween is my favourite and I love how cozy October is.


If this sounds good, you might also like:
Back on Track Wheat Berry and Chickpea Salad
Autumn Panzanella
Spiced Squash, Lentil and Goat Cheese Salad
Warm Roasted Pumpkin & Shallot Salad

Know Your Roots Salad
Adapted from Kath Eats

Serves 4

3 beets, peeled and chopped
1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped (about 3 cups)
1 tbsp olive oil plus 1 tsp
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup dry wheat berries
Beet greens from the 3 beets, chopped (or if you don't have the greens then use kale)
7 cloves garlic, split into 5 and 2
2 tbsp sunflower seeds or chopped walnuts
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425F. Cut greens off beets and set aside. Chop beets and sweet potato. Rub beets and sweet potato with 1 tablespoon oil, cinnamon and cayenne pepper. Bake for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine wheat berries with 2 cups water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 45 minutes, until tender but still chewy.

Chop beet greens or kale. Sautee the greens in 1 teaspoon oil and 5 cloves garlic. Set aside. Prepare the dressing: combine maple syrup, vinegar, mustard, 2 cloves garlic, salt and pepper in a jar. Stir to combine. Pour over salad.

15 comments:

kickpleat said...

I don't have wheat berries but I think farro would be nice here! I like the addition of sweet potatoes too!

janet @ the taste space said...

I just went on a beet kick, but maybe my garden beets will let me go there again soon... I am afraid to pick them because I don't think they are big enough yet. :(

Totally bookmarking this though- beets, sweet potatoes, kale, wheat berries with cinnamon. Heavenly! :)

janet @ the taste space said...

Actually, maybe I should bring this to Thanksgiving... we'll see.. will need to find more beets. ;)

Joanne said...

Um. WANT. I may not be brave enough to use beets though...but I think some butternut squash or parsnips will do the trick!

Dawn said...

I just started seeing beets so I have marked this in my new recipe organizer to make. It looks amazing and I love the idea of using kale as well.

Amee said...

I really like this recipe b/c I've always been daunted by 1) beets and 2) wheat berry and 3) bulgar....so maybe i should try this. very colorful. thanks for the reassurance on the cinnamon - I would have thought the same!

Johanna GGG said...

I'd be wary of cinnamon - so glad to hear it worked for you - and the glorious colours of that salad immediately win me over anyway

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous salad! I am so glad that root vegetable season has arrived. I have not cooked anything with beets for a while so this looks like an excellent excise to change that!

Hannah said...

Fantastic timing- I actually have beets on hand, waiting to be used, with no destination in mind. This looks like just the thing!

MonsterAteMy said...

This looks delicious. I love beets and sweet potatoes. One thing, though: I've never had wheat berries and wonder what I could substitute (gluten-free family) that would be similar. Are they chewy? Soft? Maybe quinoa? Anyway, I definitely want to try this!

eatme_delicious said...

MonsterAteMy: Wheat berries are chewy like barley. I don't know if there is a gluten free alternative that's chewy like that, but you could use quinoa or rice in this. :)

Tanya said...

I think I've got everything for this....even the wheatberries! Score! So colorful too :)

Sook said...

Oh man, the salad looks really good and healthy! I used to go to Kath Eats blog. I should check it out again. :)

Xiaolu @ 6 Bittersweets said...

Love how colorful and fall-like this is!

janet @ the taste space said...

Even if you don't blog, definitely keep your recipes up. It is still a handy cookbook. :)

Made this and posted it here: http://tastespace.wordpress.com/2013/02/12/cinnamon-spiced-beet-and-sweet-potato-spelt-berry-salad/