{grabbing greens} roasted beet and potato salad

Every once in a while you eat something while you are out and it just stays with you. I had a knock-out, fabulous salad last week with my girl friends and my mom. Maybe it was that we were having so much darn fun, maybe it was that I was actually relaxed and didn't need to push that day, maybe it was the glass of white wine I had. Hmmmm a little of all three I would say. Food always is better when you enjoy the people you are eating with. We had a blast and the salad I had I could eat every week!

So I immediately set forth to recreate this salad. Did I do it? Well, no, but I liked what I came up with so I am going to share it with you....

Roasted Beet and Potato salad by ann west

This salad has many wonderful little things in it. In fact when serving this as a side it takes care of your starch and your greens - how great is that? I didn't try to make everything at once. I used leftovers and prepped ahead to make it more manageable.

roasted beets - chunked (roast beets whole with olive oil in a 375 degree oven until tender. remove skin. I made these the day before.)

roasted new potatoes - cut potatoes in half (roast potatoes with olive oil and salt and pepper in a 375 degree oven. These were leftovers from the night before.)

pickled onions - see recipe from dollop here!

blood or regular oranges - sliced

then add:

avocado chunks and mixed greens. Arugula is a great choice too and I think I would add a hard boiled egg if I had it. Toss with shallot-sherry vinegarette - see below. Serve as a side or a meal all on its own. enjoy!

shallot-sherry vinegarette by ann west

shallots chopped very fine

1/3 cup olive oil

1-2 tsp dijon style mustard

1 tsp sugar

1/4 c sherry vinegar

salt & pepper

squeeze of lemon