The name of this salad doesn't much apply to Northern Idaho weather but when I first started making it down in Houston, Texas, it was appropriate for the grueling spring heat! As beets come in season around March and April the grapefruit is beginning to fade from the winter citrus scene.
4 small red beets (2" diameter)
3 small red grapefruit (3-4" diameter)
3 Tablespoons roasted sunflower seeds
1 bunch mint, chiffonaded or minced
1.
Preheat oven to 350F. Trim greens from beets and reserve for a hardy greens saute or to add to soup or a frittata.
2. Thoroughly wash beets and wrap individually in parchment paper. Place in a muffin tin and roast in oven for about 1 hour.
3. In the meantime, cut grapefruit in half pole-to-pole and peel. Separate fruit from pith using a paring knife and place in a medium glass bowl. Add sunflower seeds and mint.
4. Remove beets from oven, let cool and remove skins. Slice thinly into half moons, add to salad and toss.
Time-Saver Tool Tips -Cut grapefruit in half (equator-wise, not pole to pole) and use a grapefruit spoon to separate pith from fruit. -The only time I recommend a plastic cutting board for easier clean-up. ("Beets and meats" is our rule).
Ingredient Insight -This salad comes naturally dressed - grapefruit = acid, sunflower seeds = fat. But, if you need a little more 'umph' to your salad, add gouda or drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. -Also delicious over a bed of greens like arugula. -Grapefruit + fresh cracked pepper revs up our liver, which makes this salad perfect for those on a whole-foods detox or looking for a metabolism boost!