Warm Beet & Spinach Salad

From EatingWell: January/February 2009 — Subscribe Now!

This warm spinach-and-beet salad is inspired by a dish from Penny Cluse Café in Burlington, Vermont. If you have cooked beets on hand, you can have it ready in just a few minutes.

4 servings, about 2 cups each

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

8 cups baby spinach
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup thinly sliced red onion
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons sliced Kalamata olives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups steamed beet wedges, or slices, 1/2-1 inch thick (see Tip)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preparation

Place spinach in a large bowl.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until starting to soften, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, olives, parsley and garlic and cook, stirring, until the tomatoes begin to break down, about 3 minutes. Add beets, vinegar, salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until the beets are heated through, about 1 minute more. Add the beet mixture to the spinach and toss to combine. Serve warm.

Tips & Notes

Tip: How to Prep & Steam Beets: Trim greens (if any) and root end; peel the skin with a vegetable peeler.
Cut beets into 1/2- to 1-inch-thick cubes, wedges or slices.
To steam on the stovetop: Place in a steamer basket over 1 inch of boiling water in a large pot. Cover and steam over high heat until tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
To steam in the microwave: Place in a glass baking dish, add 2 tablespoons water, cover tightly and microwave on High until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.
No time to prep? Look for Melissa's brand Peeled Baby Red Beets in the produce section of many supermarkets. They're peeled, steamed and ready to eat and contain far less sodium than their canned counterparts.

Nutrition

Per serving: 122 calories; 5 g fat (1 g sat, 4 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 17 g carbohydrates; 4 g protein; 4 g fiber; 351 mg sodium; 729 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (120% daily value), Folate & Vitamin C (50% dv), Potassium (21% dv), Magnesium (19% dv).

1 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 2 vegetable, 1 fat