When it starts getting depressingly cold and dark outside, warm up to this next-level main dish salad that offers up a bounty of nutritional bell-ringers.
Roasted Beet, Apple, and Lentil Salad with Warm Maple Dressing
Ingredients
- 3 medium-sized red or golden beetroots,
- peeled, ends trimmed and thinly sliced
- 2 large carrots, cut into 1/2 in (125 cm) pieces
- 3 Tbsp (45 mL) grapeseed oil or sunflower oil, divided
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt, divided
- 2 red apples, sliced into 1/2 in (1.25 cm) wedges
- 3/4 cup (180 mL) dry green or black (beluga) lentils
- 4 cups (1 L) baby kale
- 2 oz (56 g) crumbled soft goat cheese
- 1/3 cup (80 mL) sliced unsalted roasted almonds
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) dried cherries
- 3 Tbsp (45 mL) pure maple syrup
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) finely chopped shallot
- 2 tsp (10 mL) coarse grain Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp (10 mL) chopped fresh thyme
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) black pepper
Nutrition
Per serving:
- calories529
- protein18g
- fat19g
- saturated fat4g
- trans fat0g
- carbohydrates76g
- sugars35g
- fibre15g
- sodium528mg
Directions
01
Preheat oven to 425 F (220 C) and place rimmed baking sheet in oven as it heats.
02
In bowl, toss beets and carrots with 1 Tbsp (15 mL) oil and 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt. Roast on heated baking sheet in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Stir vegetables and then add apples to baking sheet. Roast for another 10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
03
As vegetables cook, in saucepan, place lentils, 3 cups (750 mL) water, and a couple pinches of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, covered, until lentils are tender but not too soft, about 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
04
To assemble salad, divide baby kale, lentils, and roasted vegetables among 4 serving plates. Scatter on goat cheese, almonds, and dried cherries.
05
In microwave-safe bowl, whisk together remaining 2 Tbsp (30 mL) oil, maple syrup, cider vinegar, shallot, mustard, thyme, 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt, and pepper. Heat in microwave for 1 minute, or until warmed. You can also warm dressing in a small saucepan on stovetop. Drizzle warm dressing over salad before serving.
Matthew Kadey, MSc, RD
Matthew Kadey is a dietitian, nutrition writer, and recipe developer. He is also the author of Rocket Fuel (VeloPress, 2016) and Muffin Tin Chef (Ulysses Press, 2012).
READ THIS NEXT
SEE MORE »
Tourtière AU Cerf
Tourtière is, for me, the dish that best represents Québec. It can be traced back to the 1600s, and there’s no master recipe; every family has their own twist. Originally, it was made with game birds or game meat, like rabbit, pheasant, or moose; that’s one of the reasons why I prefer it with venison instead of beef or pork. Variation: If you prefer to make single servings, follow our lead at the restaurant, where we make individual tourtières in the form of a dome (pithivier) and fill them with 5 ounces (160 g) of the ground venison mixture. Variation: You can also use a food processor to make the dough. Place the flour, salt, and butter in the food processor and pulse about ten times, until the butter is incorporated—don’t overmix. It should look like wet sand, and a few little pieces of butter here and there is okay. With the motor running, through the feed tube, slowly add ice water until the dough forms a ball—again don’t overmix. Wrap, chill, and roll out as directed above.
Artichauts en Barigoule
My love of artichokes continues with this classic recipe, one of the best ways to eat this interesting, underrated, and strange vegetable. Frozen artichoke hearts are a time-saving substitute, though the flavour and texture of fresh artichokes are, by far, much superior and definitely preferred.
Cervelle de Canut
Cervelle de canut is basically the Boursin of France, an herbed fresh farmer’s cheese spread that’s a speciality of Lyon. The name is kind of weird, as it literally means “silk worker’s brain,” named after nineteenth-century Lyonnaise silk workers, who were called canuts. Sadly, the name reflects the low opinion of the people towards these workers. Happily for us, though, it’s delicious—creamy, fragrant, and fresh at the same time. Cervelle de canut is one of my family’s favourite dishes. It’s a great make-ahead appetizer that you can pop out of the fridge once your guests arrive. Use a full-fat cream cheese for the dish, or it will be too runny and less delicious.