DIVINE PROVIDENCE: BEETS & BLOOD ORANGE

My kids are just too funny. Ever since John had his stroke this Christmas, they have been showing their love and concern for him, each in their own special way. I think I mentioned before that Lex installed software on John's computer that makes the screen go black whenever he's been sitting there too long, and that they rearranged the furniture in the man cave, replacing one of the recliners facing the TV with his exercycle. But, did I mention that my son went out and bought $50 worth of books on clean eating for him? Well, I suppose those were probably meant for me, huh, since my hubby doesn't cook!

Anyhoo, I had some beets that I needed to use up last week, and I wasn't sure what to do with them. I also had a nice chunk of feta cheese from the farmers' market, some arugula growing in my garden, and a blood orange that I'd spotted at our grocery store that morning, and brought home just for the fun of it. Therefore, it must have been divine intervention that led me to stumble across this recipe in one of the new books that Austin gave us. And so, I give you now, the very best use for beets EVER!

BEET AND BLOOD ORANGE SALAD

from The Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook 2, by Tosca Reno

Ingredients

Salad:
4 medium beets, any kind (red, golden, Chioggia)
1 blood orange
4 cups arugula, loosely packed (I mixed in some other lettuces as well)
2 oz. low-fat feta, crumbled

Vinaigrette:
2 T. blood orange juice (from reserved membrane, see directions below)
1 T. champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. honey
1/8 tsp. sea salt
pinch freshly ground black pepper
1 T. extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 425 F. Place beets in a loaf pan or similar bakeware and add enough water to come half an inch up side of beets. Cover tightly with foil and cook in oven until tender when pierced with a toothpick, about 1 hour (baby beets don't take near that long). Remove from oven, uncover, and let sit until cool enough to handle. Peel beets (wear latex or rubber gloves if you don't want to stain your hands), cut them into slim wedges and cut wedges into bite-sized pieces.

Using a paring knife, cut away peel and white pith of blood orange. Segment the orange, reserving membrane. Set segments aside. (I'd hold the orange over a bowl as you segment it, to catch any juice that drips - see next step)

To make vinaigrette, squeeze juice from reserved blood orange membrane into a small bowl. Add vinegar, honey, salt and pepper, and whisk, adding olive oil.

Place arugula in a bowl and add half of vinaigrette. Toss to combine. Divide arugula among plates. Add beets and remaining vinaigrette to bowl, and toss to combine. Place beets around arugula. Divide reserved blood orange segments among plates and crumble feta over top. (I just tossed it all together) Serve immediately. (4-6 servings)