Diet

13 Winter Salads That Will Make You Forget All About Mac 'n' Cheese

These hearty salads might just make you want to give up pot roasts and casseroles for good

by Mary Squillace | COMMENT

PHOTO 6/14

Roasted Orange and Maple Beet Salad Beets and goat cheese is perhaps our favorite power couple of the food world, which is the appeal of this simple salad. If you disagree, you can beet it (okay, we'll see ourselves out).

Serves: 2

Ingredients:
2 bunches beets (about 12 small beets, 2 cups cooked)
1/2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 teaspoons real maple syrup
1/4 cup goat cheese crumbles (or more, to taste)
1/3 cup pecans, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a sheet of aluminum foil. Wash and peel the beets. Trim the ends, then cut into roughly half-inch cubes. Place in the center of the aluminum foil sheet. Drizzle olive oil over top and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Take a second sheet of aluminum foil and place it on top of the beets. Seal all four edges of aluminum foil together creating a tightly sealed packet.

Roast beets in the foil packet for about 30 minutes, until beets can be pricked with a fork (you can unseal a tiny corner to check). Remove from oven and open packet, allowing the steam to release. Scoop the beets into a medium sized bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice and maple syrup. Pour over the beets and let sit for 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, spoon the beets onto a rimmed plate or bowl. Top with half the chopped pecans and goat cheese crumbles. Toss to combine, allowing the goat cheese to melt slightly. Top salad with remaining cheese and pecans. Serve immediately.

Image via stephinthyme.com

SEE NEXT PAGE: Autumn Kale Salad With Roasted Cauliflower and Apple

EDITORS' BEST OF

12 Best Acne Products for Your Clearest Skin Yet

11 Best Tinted Moisturizers for Easy, On-the-Go Coverage