An herb beet salad to help you avoid sad desk lunches.
A few weeks ago I shared a semi-terrible photo of my lunch.
Yes, I was eating at my desk (in my living room!), but it was certainly not a sad desk lunch.
In fact, I’d go so far as to say it was a HAPPY desk lunch.
Why? Well, for one, because I get to work from home so I was eating a delicious salad that I took the time to make fresh right around noon in the MIDDLE OF THE WORK DAY.
Excuse the caps, but I occasionally can’t believe I get to work for myself.
Back to the salad.
Second, it was a happy desk lunch because it was all so delicious and fresh, and I had roasted the beets the night before so I didn’t have to wait an hour for them to soften up in the oven. Isn’t waiting for beets to roast just so….arduous?
They take so long to soften, and THEN you also have to wait for them to cool!
Why even eat beets at that point, right? I know they say a watched pot never boils, but I think we can claim that a watched beet never softens. Did we just start a new myth? I’ll let you know how it goes over.
This salad is barely a salad. I don’t even know that I can call it a salad.
It doesn’t have any greenery, unless you count the herbs (doubt it). And, it’s not a heaping bowl meal, nor is it a puny little side dish.
I suppose you could make it a side dish, but it filled me up for lunch. And then, like always, I was hungry just a few hours later. Isn’t that how it always goes?
Herb Beet Salad
This herb beet salad is my new favorite summer salad.
Yeah, I know. I say it every time. But honestly, it was SO good. And, Tim enjoyed it, too! Usually we each have flavors that we prefer over others, but lucky for us, dill is one that we BOTH love! This recipe is perhaps not the most beautiful to look at, but it is pretty simple to make. We adapted it from Epicurious – here’s the original recipe on their site.
I highly recommend roasting your beets a day in advance. This helps you cut down on cook time at lunchtime! To roast our beets, wash them and wrap them in foil. Place them on a baking sheet and let roast at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes. I like to take them out every 20 mins or so to see how soft they are (check by inserting a fork to measure softness) and sprinkle them with a little water.
Once your fork slides right through, they're done! Take them out and let them cool. Once they're cool enough to handle, peel them with a knife or paper towel. I like to use the paper towel method! I just rub them over the sink and peel the skin as it comes loose.
Zest your lime and set aside. Mix your lime zest with the yogurt and garlic. Add lime juice one 1/4 teaspoon at a time until you reach your desired thickness.
Chop or slice your roasted beets and top with olive oil, dill, and your dressing. Garnish/season with sea salt and black pepper and you're done!
Ingredients
Directions
I highly recommend roasting your beets a day in advance. This helps you cut down on cook time at lunchtime! To roast our beets, wash them and wrap them in foil. Place them on a baking sheet and let roast at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes. I like to take them out every 20 mins or so to see how soft they are (check by inserting a fork to measure softness) and sprinkle them with a little water.
Once your fork slides right through, they're done! Take them out and let them cool. Once they're cool enough to handle, peel them with a knife or paper towel. I like to use the paper towel method! I just rub them over the sink and peel the skin as it comes loose.
Zest your lime and set aside. Mix your lime zest with the yogurt and garlic. Add lime juice one 1/4 teaspoon at a time until you reach your desired thickness.
Chop or slice your roasted beets and top with olive oil, dill, and your dressing. Garnish/season with sea salt and black pepper and you're done!
What do you think, will you be whipping up a beet salad anytime soon?
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