SPINACH SALAD WITH RED AND CHIOGGIA BEETS, QUINOA AND WALNUTS

Spinach Salad With Red and Chioggia Beets, Quinoa and Walnuts image

This is one of those salads where the grain enhances texture, adds a nutritional punch, but isn't what the salad is about. It's about beets and spinach. I usually slice beets for salads, or cut them into wedges. Buthere I cut them into very small dice, so the quinoa/beets/walnuts/blue cheese mixture comes together in particularly appealing bites.

Provided by Martha Rose Shulman

Categories easy, quick, salads and dressings

Time 10m

Yield Serves 6 as a side dish

Number Of Ingredients 14

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Ingredients

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 small garlic clove puréed
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, or a blend of olive oil and grapeseed, sunflower or canola oil
2 medium or 4 small beets, preferably a mix of golden and chioggia, roasted, peeled and cut in small dice (preferably smaller than 1/2 inch)
1 cup cooked red quinoa (scant 1/2 cup uncooked)
1 red Belgian endive, thinly sliced crosswise
1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (1 1/2 ounces)
2 tablespoons slivered basil or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (scant 1/2 cup)
1 6-ounce bag baby spinach or 6 ounces stemmed, washed bunch spinach
Freshly ground pepper

Steps:

Make the dressing. Whisk together the vinegars, salt, mustard and garlic. Whisk in the oil(s). Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the beets, quinoa, endive, walnuts, basil or tarragon, and all but 2 tablespoons of the crumbled blue cheese
Place the spinach in another bowl and toss with 3 tablespoons of the dressing. Line a platter or a wide bowl with the spinach. Toss the remaining dressing with the beets and quinoa mixture and arrange on top of the spinach. Grind on some pepper and sprinkle the remaining blue cheese on top. Once everyone has gotten a good look at the salad, toss it all together and serve.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 263, UnsaturatedFat 18 grams, Carbohydrate 12 grams, Fat 22 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 6 grams, SaturatedFat 3 grams, Sodium 296 milligrams, Sugar 2 grams, TransFat 0 grams