Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

Beets... don't run away, I promise they are yummy! Just about everyone I have made this salad for started out saying that they didn't like beets, but this recipe changed their minds! This salad is a staple, I've been making it since I was 16. Because of the warm balsamic and honey dressing it's a perfect salad for either a starter course or even a main dish in the fall and winter seasons. This salad can also very versatile. In the salad I am showing you below, I added Avocado because it was on sale at the grocery store today, but if you want to make it more of a hearty main course you can add some roasted shrimp! Beets have such an earthy flavor that you can't find anywhere else, matched with the creamy tangy goat cheese and the peppery arugula, there is nothing better, you have got to try this!


Ingredients:
1 Tbs Minced Garlic
1 Small shallot minced
4 Tbs Decent Balsamic Vinegar 
1 1/5 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3/4 Tbs Honey
Salt and Pepper to taste
Few handfuls of Pre-washed Arugula 
1/2 Ripe Avocado 
1/2 cup Pre-peeled and steamed Beets cut into bit size pieces 

Directions: 
To make the Vinaigrette mix together the Garlic, Shallot, Balsamic Vinegar, Olive Oil, Honey and salt and pepper in a small bowl. Add the cut beets to the vinaigrette and let it marinade for a few minutes. Turn the oven to 375 degrees and line a cookie sheet with tin foil. When the oven is warm with a slotted spoon transfer the beets to the foil lined pan saving as much of the vinaigrette as possible. Put the beets in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until fragrant and caramelized. While the beets are in the oven crumble the goat cheese and Avocado over a bed of arugula. When the beets are out of the oven let them cool slightly, then toss the arugula avocado and goat cheese with the extra vinaigrette and beets.  And enjoy! 

Balsamic Honey Vinaigrette (Above)

Finished product: Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad (above)