Rainwood: Beet Chip & Kale Salad

Breathe properly.  Stay curious.  And eat your beets.

Tom Robbins, Jitterbug Perfume

Happy (belated) Earth Day!  To celebrate, I decided to make a salad using one of the most deliciously earthy vegetables out there: the beet.  I love beets in every form, and for this salad, I tried something I haven't done before.  I recently bought a vegetable spiralizer, so I decided to make roasted beet chips.  Mixed in with kale and candied walnuts, the salad was a perfect blend of earthiness and sweet, all topped with a sweet and spicy dressing.

What you need:

     For the salad:

• 3 medium-large beets, peeled and spiralized (or sliced VERY thin)
• 1 cup walnut halves
• 1 large bunch Lacinato Kale, stems removed and torn into bite-sized pieces
• 3 tbsp 100% pure dark amber maple syrup
• 1 tsp olive oil
• Salt & pepper to taste

     For the dressing:

• 1 tbsp stone-ground mustard
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp minced garlic

Heat the oven to 400.  After spiralizing the beets, toss them in the olive oil and then lay them out on a foiled and oiled baking sheet.  Let them cook for 20 minutes.

While they cook, put your walnuts into a skillet and cook on medium-high until they begin to brown.  Once they have started browning, add the maple syrup and stir until all walnuts are coated and the syrup is basically evaporated.  Remove from heat and pour the walnuts onto parchment paper to cool.

Next, mix together the ingredients for the dressing, and toss all of your torn kale into a large salad bowl.  I recommend massaging the kale a bit to soften it before adding the other ingredients.  When the walnuts have cooled and the beets are finished roasting, combine all of the ingredients, toss them in the dressing, and serve.