Beet & Blood Orange Salad

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Liven up your next potluck gathering with this brightly colored salad! The deep purple and red from the beets and blood oranges are perfectly highlighted with the white from shaved fennel. Throw in some pink grapefruit and garnish with the fennel stems for an eye-catching, vibrant dish! 

Nutritional Highlights

Beets are excellent for the liver as they stimulate the detoxification process. Betacyanin gives beets their stunning pigment, and is also a great cancer-fighting agent. The fiber content of beets is also excellent for optimal bowel function and cholesterol levels. Although not nearly as sweet as the root, beet greens are edible and offer comparably higher amounts of calcium, iron, vitamin A, and vitamin C. 

Fennel is a star among herbalists, due to it's many healing effects on the gastrointestinal tract. It can also be useful for symptoms of menopause, as fennel contains phytoestrogens (isoflavones that can prevent the body's estrogen from binding to its receptors).  Fennel is often used to: 

  • relieve intestinal spasms
  • expel gas
  • strengthen the stomach 
  • soothe pain 

Beet & Blood Orange Salad

  • 2-3 large beets, roasted and cubed 
  • 2 blood oranges, peeled with a knife to remove white pith, and cubed 
  • 1 large ruby red grapefruit, peeled with a knife to remove white pith, and cubed 
  • 1 fennel bulb, core removed, shaved thinly with a mandolin 
  • fennel stems, green tips, for garnish 

Blood Orange Vinaigrette:

  • ~1/4 cup blood orange juice 
  • 2 tsp dijon mustard
  • 1 cup extra virgin olive oil 
  • 1/4 scant teaspoon sea salt 
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper 

Directions: 

For the dressing, combine all ingredients in a glass jar and shake vigorously to combine. Alternatively, add to a blender and blitz just until combined. 

For the salad, in a large bowl toss all ingredients, except the fennel, together with the dressing. Transfer the salad to a serving dish and top with fennel shavings (tossing the fennel with the beets and citrus fruits will turn it pink! The pure white adds a nice pop :) Garnish with fennel stem ends and enjoy!