Beets & Greens Salad

This salad can be prepared with only one type of kale or any type of mixture you prefer.  I love the color of using different greens together. It takes a while to make this vinaigrette but it is well worth the extra time.   This is definitely a great entrée salad.

Ingredients

Cherry Balsamic Vinaigrette
½ cup frozen cherries, thawed
½ cup balsamic vinegar
½ cup red wine
½ t. Dijon mustard
2 T. honey
1 small clove garlic, minced
¼ t. salt

1 bunch red kale
1 bunch kale
Tops from 6 beets
6 medium size beets
½ pkg. arugula
1 clove garlic minced
1 avocado, thinly sliced
¼ red onion, thinly sliced
1 can cannellini beans, drained
Pistachios for garnish
Fresh cracked pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Clean beets and leave 1 – 2 inch stems on the beets.  Cover each beet individually with aluminum foil.  Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 1 hour.  Remove from oven and let cool ten minutes and discard stem out outer layer.  Slice beets and place in glass bowl with lid.

In a small sauce pan smash the cherries with a potato masher.  Place remaining ingredients for the vinaigrette in the pan with the cherries.  Bring to low boil and reduce heat to low and cook until vinaigrette reduces to half.  Pour 3 tablespoons of vinaigrette on beets.    Set aside the remaining dressing to use on salad.

Clean all of the greens and remove any stems.  In a large skillet, place one bunch of greens (except the arugula) at a time and steam until the greens are slightly wilted.  Cut garlic in thirds and use a third of the minced garlic with each batch of greens.  Remove from skillet and continue to wilt greens.  Place in a large salad bowl.  Add the arugula and mix in with other greens.  Add the onion and avocado.

On a salad plate, place a nice size portion of greens, onion and avocado.  Top with some beets, cannellini beans and pistachios.  Garnish with the pistachios and drizzle a couple tablespoons of the cherry balsamic vinaigrette on top.  Finish with some fresh cracked pepper.