Vibrant Pickled Beet Salad: A Refreshing & Healthy Recipe with Pears, Walnuts, & Goat Cheese
Discover a burst of color and flavor with this delightful Spring mixed greens salad, featuring sweet pickled beets, crisp pears, crunchy walnuts, and creamy goat cheese, all elegantly drizzled with a homemade sweet red wine vinaigrette dressing. This recipe is perfect for a light lunch, a vibrant side dish, or a healthy dinner option.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Paisley Farms, but the opinions are all my own. Thank you for supporting the companies and products that make An Affair from the Heart possible.
Embrace the Joy of Eating in Color: A Delicious Path to Wellness
There’s an undeniable satisfaction in gazing upon a plate brimming with a spectrum of vibrant colors, isn’t there? It’s not merely an aesthetic pleasure; it’s often a visual cue that you’re about to indulge in something incredibly nourishing and beneficial for your body. A colorful plate, like this delectable pickled beet salad, naturally signals a diverse array of essential nutrients, vitamins, and powerful antioxidants, promising a meal that’s as good for your overall health as it is for your mood and palate.
Especially during the long, often dreary days of winter, when the world outside can feel perpetually cold and grey, a vibrant salad can be a true breath of fresh air. While winter comfort foods certainly have their cherished place in our culinary repertoire, sometimes what we truly crave is something light, crisp, and utterly refreshing to invigorate our senses. This salad serves as a gentle reminder that spring is just around the corner, bringing with it the promise of renewal and lighter fare. After all, as fast as time flies by, swimsuit season will be upon us before we know it, so we simply can’t live like hibernating bears for the *entire* winter!
A Perfect Partnership: Featuring Paisley Farm Sweet Pickled Beets
I’m absolutely thrilled to once again collaborate with my wonderful friends at Paisley Farm. This month, we’re spotlighting a fantastic new recipe that truly showcases the incredible versatility and deliciousness of their Sweet Pickled Beets. You might recall our delightful partnership just last month, where I shared the decadent recipe for a Chocolate Beet Cake? That rich, chocolaty creation was a perfect, comforting treat for the holiday season. As promised, after indulging in those festive desserts, we reserved January for a lighter, more refreshing approach to healthy eating – and I always keep my promises when it comes to delivering delicious food!
Paisley Farm’s unwavering commitment to delivering farm-fresh vegetables directly to your kitchen makes them an invaluable partner in preparing wholesome, flavorful meals. Their Sweet Pickled Beets are a true game-changer for quick and healthy culinary creations, offering a ready-to-use ingredient that packs a powerful punch of flavor and nutrition without any fuss. The subtle sweetness and delicate hint of cinnamon in their pickled beets perfectly complement the other fresh ingredients in this vibrant salad, making it incredibly easy to assemble a gourmet-tasting dish in mere minutes. It’s about bringing the goodness of the farm to your table, effortlessly.
The Incredible Health Benefits of Beets: A Nutritional Powerhouse
To simply state that beets are “good for you” would be a massive understatement. These vibrant, earthy root vegetables are nutritional powerhouses, offering a wide array of impressive health benefits that make them an excellent and highly recommended addition to any balanced diet. Let’s delve into some of the amazing ways beets can significantly boost your overall well-being:
- Immune System Support: Beets are remarkably rich in immune-boosting Vitamin C, a crucial antioxidant that diligently helps protect your cells from damaging free radicals and vigorously supports overall immune function, keeping you resilient and healthy, especially during challenging colder months or flu season.
- Optimal Digestive Health: Generously packed with dietary fiber, beets are excellent for aiding in healthy digestion. They promote regularity, prevent constipation, and significantly contribute to maintaining a thriving and balanced gut microbiome. Furthermore, the fiber content helps you feel fuller for longer periods, which can be highly beneficial for effective weight management and satiety.
- Essential Mineral Richness: Beets are an outstanding source of vital minerals like potassium and manganese. Potassium is absolutely essential for maintaining healthy nerve and muscle function, regulating blood pressure, and ensuring proper fluid balance throughout your body. Manganese, on the other hand, plays a key role in robust bone health, efficient metabolism, and the proper functioning of critical organs such as your liver, kidneys, and pancreas.
- Folate for Overall Wellness: These amazing root vegetables contain an abundance of the B vitamin folate, which is absolutely vital for healthy cell growth, development, and function. For expectant mothers, adequate folate intake is paramount as it helps significantly reduce the risk of birth defects. For everyone else, it actively supports energy production and the healthy formation of red blood cells.
- Natural Detoxification Superstars: The unique and powerful betalin pigments that give beets their distinctive deep crimson color are potent phytonutrients. These compounds actively support your body’s Phase 2 detoxification process. During this crucial stage, broken-down toxins are effectively bound to other molecules, making it much easier for your body to excrete them safely. Historically, beets have been highly valued for their significant role in purifying the blood and diligently supporting liver health.
- Potential Cancer-Fighting Properties: The same powerful betalin phytonutrients mentioned above also possess significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. These properties are currently being researched for their potential to help ward off certain types of cancer and protect against cellular damage. Research continues to explore the profound and promising impact of these compounds on cellular health and disease prevention.
Source: Mercola
Crafting Your Perfect Pickled Beet, Pear, Walnut & Goat Cheese Salad
Adding these incredible Sweet Pickled Beets to a salad couldn’t be simpler, or more rewarding. They arrive perfectly sweetened with that delightful hint of cinnamon, ready to transform your ordinary mixed greens into something truly extraordinary. This particular salad combines a harmonious and captivating blend of flavors and textures, ensuring every bite is a delightful experience.
The vibrant foundation of this appealing dish begins with a generous bed of fresh organic spring mixed greens. Their tender texture and subtly bitter notes provide the perfect refreshing contrast to the sweeter and tangier elements. Next, we introduce the stars of the show: the Paisley Farm Sweet Pickled Beets, conveniently sliced and drained, adding a beautiful ruby-red hue and a distinct sweet and tangy punch that elevates the entire dish. Half a fresh, ripe pear, thinly sliced, brings a juicy, natural sweetness that beautifully complements the earthiness of the beets and elegantly cuts through the richness of the goat cheese. A generous sprinkling of crunchy toasted walnuts provides an essential textural contrast and a pleasant earthy flavor, while crumbled goat cheese adds a creamy, tangy counterpoint that ties all the individual elements together with its distinctive savory and slightly pungent notes.
The crowning glory of this salad is undoubtedly the homemade sweet red wine vinaigrette dressing. It’s incredibly quick to whip up, requiring just a few common pantry staples: high-quality olive oil for a smooth base, a finely minced clove of garlic for a subtle aromatic kick, a touch of raw honey for added natural sweetness and complex depth, and red wine vinegar to provide that essential tangy acidity that brightens all the flavors. Seasoned simply with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, this perfectly balanced dressing brings all the diverse flavors of the salad into a delightful equilibrium. For those looking to add a bit more substance, healthy fats, or protein to make this salad a complete meal, a little grilled chicken breast or even some pan-seared salmon or chickpeas would make a truly wonderful and satisfying addition.
Discover the Paisley Farm Difference: Quality from Farm to Jar
If you haven’t yet explored the wonderful world of Paisley Farm Foods, I wholeheartedly encourage you to take a moment to visit their comprehensive website. Their core mission is deeply rooted in making fresh, high-quality vegetables easily accessible and readily available for your kitchen, thereby simplifying healthy eating without ever compromising on exceptional flavor or consistent quality.
“Paisley Farm has been putting smiles on faces since 1945. Our recipe for success is simple: work with fresh vegetables, uniquely combined to deliver flavor on demand. Our products are there for you, at your fingertips, just when you need them, to prepare meals for your family. From side dishes and appetizers to garnishes, dips, non-GMO, organic ketchup and our legendary bean salads, Paisley Farm has a complete line of vegetable products to complement your culinary imagination and make every meal memorable. From farm to jar to you, that’s the Paisley Promise.” – Paisley Farm Foods
This unwavering philosophy shines brightly through in every single product they offer, providing convenient and delicious solutions for busy home cooks who still aspire to serve nutritious and truly delightful meals to their families. Their extensive range of products, from perfectly pickled vegetables to hearty bean salads, truly inspires culinary creativity, allowing you to effortlessly elevate everyday dishes with minimal time and effort. It’s about bringing gourmet convenience and wholesome goodness straight to your table.
Get the Recipe for This Irresistible Pickled Beet Salad!
Ready to brighten up your mealtime with this explosion of fresh flavors, delightful textures, and vibrant colors? This easy-to-make salad is a fantastic way to incorporate more vegetables into your diet and enjoy a truly satisfying meal. Let’s dive into the full recipe, shall we?
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Print Recipe
Pickled Beet Salad with Pears, Walnuts & Goat Cheese
Ingredients
- About 4 healthy handfuls of Organic Spring Mix greens
- 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
- 1/2 cup toasted walnuts chopped for extra crunch
- 1 pear sliced, a firm but ripe variety like Bosc or Anjou works best
- 1/2 cup Paisley Farms Sweet Pickled Beets drained and quartered or sliced
- [i]For the Homemade Sweet Red Wine Vinaigrette Dressing:[/i]
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove fresh garlic minced or grated
- 1 Tablespoon raw honey adjust to desired sweetness
- 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste, for perfect seasoning
Instructions
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Prepare the Dressing: In a small jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the olive oil, minced garlic, raw honey, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper. Secure the lid tightly and shake vigorously until all ingredients are thoroughly combined and emulsified. Set the dressing aside to allow the flavors to meld.
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Assemble the Salads: Divide the organic spring mixed greens evenly onto two individual serving plates or into a large salad bowl if serving family-style. Artfully arrange the drained Paisley Farms Sweet Pickled Beets, fresh pear slices, chopped toasted walnuts, and crumbled goat cheese on top of the greens, ensuring an even distribution of all ingredients for balanced flavor in every bite.
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Serve: Just before serving, drizzle the prepared sweet red wine vinaigrette generously over each salad. Toss gently if desired, and serve immediately to enjoy the freshest flavors and textures.
Nutrition
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Connect with Paisley Farm: Explore More & Stay Inspired!
Hungry for more innovative recipes, product information, or curious about where you can find Paisley Farm products near you? Explore their full range of offerings and culinary inspiration by visiting the official Paisley Farms website today!
Stay connected and inspired by following Paisley Farms on their vibrant social media channels for daily delicious ideas, updates, and community engagement:
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