Make Your Dad A Hearty Salad This Weekend…

This past weekend, I was in Orange County over the weekend at a friend’s house baby-sitting her 10 month old so she could get in some much needed gym time. What a great friend I am, right? I can honestly say (sorry Nadia!) kids are cute, and I want one ( I think?) but they sure are a lot of work!!

While I was there, one of her roommates, who is vegan, gave me a bowl of this delicious sweet potato salad. I fell in love with the idea of re-creating it, but I haven’t been able to get the exact recipe from her, so I decided to create my own.

Since it happens to be Father’s Day this weekend, for those of you doing barbecues or making lunch or dinner for your Dad, this dish would be a great heart healthy addition to your menu. Sweet potatoes are high in vitamins A, C and beta-carotene. Beets are full of fiber and are known for helping to lower blood pressure and blood sugar. Walnuts are the number one source of Omega-3 you can find in a nut, aside from flaxseeds. So what do you have to lose here? Grill some lean chicken and salmon, toss up some greens and make some of this salad right here…

 

Sweet Potato, Beet and Walnut Salad

(you can make more or less depending on how many people you are serving)

6 red beets scrubbed and peeled, chopped into quarters

2 large sweet potatoes, scrubbed and chopped into quarters

2 -3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Coarse salt and ground pepper

Dash of garlic powder

1/4 cup roughly chopped walnuts

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives

1 to 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 F.  Take the chopped sweet potato and toss it with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Then lay them on foil on a baking pan and put them in the oven for about 20 minutes.

After the sweet potato are done, take the chopped beets and mix them in another tablespoon of olive oil and toss them with it. Then put them in the oven for about 20 minutes as well.

While the beets cook, put the walnuts on the stove in a sauté pan and let them toast for about 5 minutes. Then place them in a bowl with the sweet potato.

Once the beets are done, put them in the bowl with the sweet potato and walnuts. Add the chives and the red wine vinegar. Toss and enjoy!