beetroot

We love the look of candy striped beetroot. When it is sliced raw, the contrasting colours are very sharp and vibrant. This makes a dramatic addition to any salad.

After they're cooked however, the stripes are less obvious and the dark pink and white lines will bleed into one another to create a more even muted tone. We turned this batch into a fresh and healthy quinoa salad.

1 cup cooked red quinoa
4-6 roasted or steamed candy striped beets, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1-2 roasted eggplants, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup basil, torn into pieces
1/4 cup mint, coarsely chopped
1/4 Italian parsley, coarsely chopped

Combine the above ingredients. Toss in 1/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper. Chill for 1 hour and serve.