Goats Cheese & Balsamic Beetroot Salad

This healthy, low carb salad has great flavour and is full of hearty vegetables. The earthy beetroot matches so well with the sweet balsamic and tangy goats cheese. A lot of people don’t like goats cheese (why!?) but if that’s you then it would be just as nice with a ball of mozzarella or feta cheese. Peeling beetroot makes your hands bright pink- wear gloves! I recommend that you don’t leave any of the ingredients out as they all add up to make the perfect combination! As always, let me know if you give it a go; I’d love to hear your feedback.

RECIPE

SERVES 2

Difficulty level : RookieIngredients:

• About 5 raw beetroots, peeled and cut into wedges
• 2 large slice from a goats cheese log (I got from Costco)
• 2 shallots, finely sliced
• Balsamic vinegar
• 2 large handful cherry tomatoes, halved
• About 5 artichokes from a jar
• Large handful of olives, halved
• Large handful walnuts
• Peppery leaves, such as watercress and rocket
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

METHOD

1. Heat the oven to 180C. Place the beetroot in a roasting dish and drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast for around 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the rest of the salad. Place the shallots in a pan over a medium heat with a little olive oil and fry for a couple of minutes until soft. Add 100ml balsamic vinegar and allow to bubble until syrupy.
3. Toast the walnuts in a dry pan over a high heat for a couple of minutes until browned.
4. After 20 minutes of the beetroot cooking, pour in 150ml balsamic vinegar and 100ml of water. Roast for a further 10-15 minutes until the beetroot is soft. Remove the beetroot from the dish.
5. Add the goats cheese into the dish and place in the oven for 5 minutes to cook through.
6. Build up the salad: start with leaves, and add the tomatoes, artichokes, olives, walnuts, shallots and beetroot. Top with the goats cheese and drizzle over the dressing from the roasting dish, enjoy!

TIPS

• Great with some homemade brioche crumbs- tear up brioche into chunks and crumble the rest into crumbs. Drizzle with olive oil and cook in a preheated oven at 180C for 5-10 minutes until crisp.