roasted beet & blueberry spinach salad

bring on the beets! i think i’m still in a food coma from indulging in all the rich, delish food on my culinary adventures this summer. what better way to up the ante on the post-vacation cleanse than a gluten-free beet salad.

i thought i’d take a new spin on a previous yumyumyummers recipe for roasted beet & watercress salad — with baby spinach, fresh blueberries & black japonica rice this time around.

best to start cooking the japonica rice before you start prepping the beets, as it takes about an hour to cook the japonica rice.

black japonica rice:
in a small pot, add the following ingredients:
– 1 cup black japonica rice & 2 cups of water
– bring to a boil (covered)
– once boiling, stir once & reduce heat to simmer. replace lid & simmer for 45min until water is absorbed into grains.
– remove from heat & allow to sit for approx 10min before removing lid. set aside.
– fluff with fork

pre-heat oven to 400F

roasted beets:
– 10-12 small beets (chopped into bite-sized chunks)

(tip: wash beets gently w/ cold water. best to handle raw beets in the kitchen sink, to avoid staining your countertops. i would not recommend using your fave dishcloths, as cooking with beets can be a messy endeavour!)

– lightly grease medium-sized roasting pan w/ 1-2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil or light margarine
– place chopped beets in roasting pan
– drizzle 1 tbsp organic apple cider vinegar (gluten-free version)
– add dash of sea salt
– season generously w/ herbes de provence
– roast beets in pre-heated oven for 18-20min at 400F
– remove from oven & allow to cool on rack

food styling:
– plate a small bed of cooked japonica rice on baby spinach leaves in a salad bowl
– add 8-10 roasted beets
– add fresh blueberries
– crumble bits of fresh sheep cheese (or goat cheese)

this roasted beet & blueberry spinach salad pairs nicely with a crisp, dry white wine… though, if you’re in true cleansing mode, skip the vino and drink a tall glass of water instead. :)