Healthy Roasted Beet, Yam & Cabbage Salad Recipe

For Memorial Day weekend we took a road trip up the state (California) to the college town of Chico where my husband Bob earned his finance degree. He always raved about Bidwell Park, which followed Big Chico Creek through a portion of the town. There are miles of paved trails under a shady canopy of large trees and lush greenery bordering the creek. Picnic benches dot the route offering an invitation to stop and enjoy the cool creek.

We brought our mountain bikes for the purpose of riding the trials. So off we went. We rode from Lower Bidwell Park all the way to Upper Bidwell Park where you can opt for more adventurous single-track, dirt trails. We saved the dirt trails for the following day when we spent several hours navigating up and down slightly technical trails (filled with protruding rocks of all sizes) getting a great workout—ending with a stop along the upper creek with a chilly dip for our weary feet.

Since I may not find healthy food to eat on trips, I always plan ahead and make a sizable salad to bring along. I chose a salad from Food Matters and made some changes to suit what I had on hand.

You will find this recipe a pleasing combination of tastes that turns beet red when all mixed together. It comes from Food Matters—a health website based in Australia, which I highly recommend you subscribe to. They offer recipes and health and nutrition information to help in your healing quest or optimum wellness routine.

I used purple cabbage instead of kale called for in the original recipe. The red beets in this recipe bathe the ingredients in a ruby color, however the red cabbage is hardly affected because of its deep purple color.

Since the coconut oil was a paste-like consistency, I used my handy technique of massaging the veggies and coconut oil through a ziplock bag to coat them with the oil. Learn my technique at How to Prepare Roasted Vegetables.

Another thing I changed in the recipe was subbing the dried cranberries for the Made in Nature Super Berry Fusion organic dried fruit from Costco. I also use this same dried fruit blend in my DIY trail mix.

Roasted Beet, Yam & Cabbage Salad

from Inspired by Food Matters

yield 6 - 8 servings

category Salad

cuisine Vegan

ingredients

1 large yam or sweet potato, peeled

2 large red beets, peeled

2 Tbsp of coconut oil

Salt & pepper

1/4 - 1/2 head of purple cabbage, chopped

1/2 C cooked quinoa

1/4 C dried cranberries or mixed berries

1/4 C chopped pecans

Dressing

2 Tbsp apple cidar vinegar

Juice of 1 lime

1/4 C extra virgin olive oil

directions

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF

2. Cut yams and beets into 1/2 inch cubes.

3. Put yams and beets into gallon-size plastic bag and add cocnut oil.  Close bag and massage veggies through bag to distribute oil onto beets and yams. Add salt and pepper.

4. Spread out on baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes, turning occasionally until vegetables are soft, but firm.

5. In a large bowl, toss yams, beets, pecans, berries, cabbage and quinoa. 

6. Whisk the dressing ingredients until blended then pour onto salad mixture. You may not use all the dressing.

7. Toss well and serve.

This salad got two thumbs up from Bob. We just finished up the remainder of this yummy salad two days ago and I'm ready to make another batch. You have all summer to try this recipe. If you make it, I guarantee you'll make it again!

What are your plans for getting away this summer?