This might be my favorite potato salad recipe this week for the color alone. Purple potatoes, ruby beets, and green parsley make for a salad that’s both delicious and gorgeous!
Purple potatoes are making their way into most grocery stores, either sold by themselves or in combination with other potatoes. Depending on your location, you can probably snag some at the farmers market as well. Either way, they make for an unexpected pop of color that livens up any picnic.
Purple potatoes also contain the antioxidant anthocyanin, which gives the potato it’s deep color, the same antioxidant praised in blueberries. Antioxidants help protect body cells against free radical damage that can increase chronic disease risk. Purple potatoes have also been shown to reduce blood pressure, thanks to their high levels of potassium.
If you don’t need anymore convincing, then try this salad out for yourself.
Purple Potato Eater Salad
Ingredients:
3 lbs. purple potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 cups beets, cut into bite size pieces
1/2 red onion, minced
3 tbsp. minced parsley
Dressing:
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt/pepper
In a food processor/blender/or hand, whisk together all ingredients for the dressing. Set aside.
Combine cut potatoes and beets into a bowl, toss with 1-2Tbsp. of olive oil and pinch salt/pepper. Toss to coat potatoes and spread onto a baking sheet. Roast at 425 degrees F for 30 minutes until potatoes and beets are tender. Cooking times will depend on how large you cut your potato chunks.
Remove potatoes from oven and cool ~5-10 minutes. Toss potatoes with the dressing and onion. To serve warm: add fresh parsley and salt/pepper to taste. To serve cool: place in fridge and chill for at least 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Top with fresh parsley and salt/pepper if needed just before serving.
Enjoy!
Disclosure Statement: By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by the United States Potato Board and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.
Sometimes one of my favorite dinners is a bunch of side dishes. Couscous salad, green beans, beet salad are some of my favorite winter items. Beets have recently become one of my favorite winter vegetables, something that I never really liked until a few years ago. We used to get a lot of beets in our CSA and I finally started learning how to cook them. I prefer them roasted like this or salads.
Whole wheat couscous is one of BL’s favorite side dishes. Whenever I make it for cooking demos, I have to make extra to keep in the fridge for him. He seriously can’t get enough! This is a pretty simple salad highlighting fresh oranges. Enjoy this as is or paired with your favorite protein. We had it with a garbanzo-lentil salad for dinner.
2-way Couscous Salad
1 cup uncooked whole wheat couscous
1/2 cup Israeli couscous
1 english cucumber, peeled and finely diced
1/4 cup roasted red/yellow peppers, finely diced
1 bunch parsley, chopped
2 tbsp. Kalamata olives, chopped
1 large lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
salt/pepper
Cook the couscous according to directions. The two couscous varieties do take different cooking time so you can either start the Israeli and then add the whole wheat kind or cook them separately. You can also just use 1 variety.
Place the cooled couscous into a mixing bowl. Add the cucumber, roasted peppers, parsley, and olives. In a separate bowl, whisk together the lemon and olive oil. Pour onto the couscous and stir. Season with salt and pepper.
Winter Beet Salad
3 large golden beets
3 large red beets
3 tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 tbsp. water
2 oranges
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the beets on a roasting pan and drizzle with 1 tbsp. olive oil and 1 tbsp. water. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Cook for 50-60 minutes until tender.
Remove from oven, cool and peel. Toss into large chunks and place into a bowl.
Peel the oranges and separate the membranes from the pith. Place into the beet bowl. Squeeze the remaining orange juice from the leftover peel and piths into the bowl. Add the olive oil and a small pinch of salt/pepper. Toss together and serve.
*The leftover beet salad taste great over salad greens the next morning
Proof that taste buds change over time? This roasted beet salad. I’ve never enjoyed beets until recently and now I cannot get enough. I blame most of my avoidance to the scarlet vegetable for having only previously eaten them canned or pickled, not always their finest moment. Roasting any vegetable immediately changes the flavor and beets are no exception. Sweet, caramelized beets shine in this easy salad. Want a heartier meal? Add some cannalini beans.
Roasted Beet and Radish Salad
Ingredients:
2-3 large beets, I used golden beets and appreciate their lighter flavor here but if you can’t find them, use red ones.
3 tbsp. blanched, sliced almonds
4 radishes, sliced thin
1 head romaine or butter lettuce, washed and torn into bite sized pieces
3 tbsp. cranberries
Champagne Vinaigrette
¼ cup olive oil
1/8 cup champagne vinegar
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 lemon, zested and juiced
salt/pepper
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Clean the beets and toss with 1 tsp. oil, salt and pepper. Place on a roasting pan and cook for 25-30 minutes until done. The cooking time will depend on the size of your beets, when a fork can be stuck into the beet then it’s done.
Remove the beets from the oven, let cool for 10 minutes and remove the skin. Chop the beets and set aside.
Keep the oven on; add sliced almonds to a clean pan and toast for 4 minutes, making sure not to burn them. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Prepare the champagne vinaigrette by combing all the ingredients except the oil in a food processor, blender or bowl. Slowly add the oil until the mixture thickens.
Place the lettuce in a large bowl and toss with the dressing. Add the chopped beets, sliced radishes, toasted sliced almonds, and cranberries, season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serves 4, Per serving: 211 calories, 16 gram fat, 4g fiber
Enjoy!
