Carrot and Beet Salad

Raw shaved beets, carrots and radishes are dressed up with a lively vinaigrette creating a fresh and colorful summer salad that's perfect for picnics and barbeques.

So let’s talk beets…love them or hate them, whichever side you pick it’s likely that half the world agrees with you.

Beets haters think they taste like dirt while beet enthusiasts affectionately call them earthy.  I readily admit I’m usually in the former camp, but am intent on giving the knobby roots a fair shake.  They might not look like much from the outside but beneath their rough exterior lies a bevy of vitamins and minerals that support our body’s natural detoxification processes.

Apparently that dirt-like taste isn’t actually dirt but rather geosmin, an organic compound that is thought to either be a by-product of beet metabolism or produced by soil-microorganisms that are taken up by the beets as they grow and mature.

Enter yellow or golden beets, a variety of beets that is typically milder than the more common red ones (not to mention less likely to stain your hands and kitchen towels.)  While more delicate in taste, it wasn’t until I tried them raw that I truly came to appreciate their full potential.

Mandoline in hand I shaved the sturdy root into sunny yellow coins.  Shaved paper-thin and paired with equally thin slices of sweet young carrots and peppery radishes the “earthy” taste took a back seat to the symphony of crunch and freshness.

A zippy Dijon mustard vinaigrette laced with coriander adds edge and bite to the shaved vegetables and what results is a cool summer salad bursting with colors and crunchy texture.

When choosing beets go for the smaller specimens with the bright greens still attached as they will be all the more tender when raw.  And while you’re at it don’t forget the greens, they are delicious and rich in nutrients as well, just prepare them like you would spinach or chard.

So let’s have it; are you a beet lover or hater?

(For even more summer salad ideas be sure to check out my summer salad recipe round-up featuring 10 fresh and colorful ideas for your next salad over on Healthy Green Kitchen as well.)

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Yield: 4 Servings

Shaved Carrot and Beet Salad

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

A medley of paper-thin slices of raw beets, carrots and radishes are dressed with a Dijon coriander dressing.

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Ingredients

For the Dressing:

• 1 ½ Tablespoons/ 22ml Apple Cider Vinegar
• 3 Tablespoons/45ml extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon/ 5ml raw honey
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the Shaved Salad:

• 4 small golden beets, peeled
• 4 medium carrots, peeled cut into two
• 1 small bunch of radishes, trimmed and cleaned
• 2 Tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Instructions

1. Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a large bowl.
2. Thinly slice the beets, carrot, and radishes on a mandolin or in a food processor with the slicing disc.
3. Toss the sliced vegetables with the dressing to coat evenly. Sprinkle with chopped parsley, season to taste with additional salt and freshly ground pepper if desired and serve.

Notes

Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegetarian, Vegan, Paleo

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 222Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 266mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 2gSugar: 7gProtein: 1g

Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.

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Sylvie

Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.