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Beet Salad & the Best Birthday Potluck!

I know I have friends with cooking skills, but it is still amazing when we come together with homemade food and it is of a phenomenal level! I hosted a potluck for my 27th Birthday this year and had an amazingly talented turnout (of food and people!). My roommate K-Dog made a delicious Gluten Free/Dairy Free Pumpkin Bundt cake & a frosting made from Almond milk, to roaring reviews. Other great contributions involved grilled steak, shrimp skewers and homemade peach ice cream (although not dairy free).

I went to the farmer's market down the street on Saturday morning for some local/seasonal inspiration and left with a good amount of fresh beets in a variety of colors. Since I discovered the canned beets I had as a child are not the only option, I'm in love with this colorful, flavorful root and all the varieties you can find here in Seattle. I also find great enjoyment in turning opinions around of a vegetable such as the often hated beet. When prepared the right way, they are so delicious and always a gorgeous addition to the array of dishes on a table. I decided to roast the beets and prepare a salad that let their natural flavor shine through. Paired with tangy, sweet oranges and tossed in a simple vinaigrette dressing, the beets were simple and delicious...if I do say so myself!

As a new culinary student, I have been instructed to not trust any old recipe from the Internet, so now search more on sites that are reliable and edited by food experts. I found this recipe on Epicurious.com (courtesy of Bon Appetit Magazine). Conveniently, it called for supreme'd oranges, which I need serious practice on for my knife competency exam at the end of the quarter. I'm pleased to report most everyone enjoyed the beet salad, including the majority who insisted they were beet haters when they walked in the door! I'm still getting used to the bitter flavor of greens, so I left them out and if you're not a lactard like me, I would add feta cheese...mmm.

Here's the recipe to give it a shot yourself :) Cheers! -l.v.
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