Beet and Parsnip Salad

Besides the awesome colour, I’m not really a fan of beets.  But, I thought I’d give them another shot and tried this recipe for Shredded Parsnip and Beet Salad in Pineapple Vinaigrette I found in Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero’s Vegonomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook on page 89.

First you got to make the dressing.  Super simple.  Just whisk together 2 cups of pineapple juice, 1/3 cup of red wine vinegar (I used white wine, it was fine), ¼ cup grapeseed oil, 2 tbps sweetener (they suggest maple syrup or agave nectar or sugar, I used xylotol), 1 clove of garlic grated or minced to smithereens! And ¼ tsp of salt. 

Into that bowl shred 3 beets and 2 parsnips, both average size.  Problem:  WAAAAAY to much dressing!  I’d add an extra few parsnips.  I used three and I had beet juice and dressing leaking allllll over the place at work!  Super messy, super huge pain in the ass!  If you take this out, wrap it up in a bag REALLY well with some sort of cloth in the bag to catch what does spill so you don’t end up splashing fuchsia liquid all over your work place like I did.  Or, better yet, just pig out on it at home!

Let that all hang out together for 15 minutes, then mix in ½ cup of chopped fresh mint.  I have a mint plant at home.  It smells good.  It looks good.  It’s so easy to care for.  It makes great tea.  I highly suggest you invest in one (just don’t plant it right in your garden, it spreads like a weed and is a bitch to dig up).

Throw that in the fridge for 30 minutes.  Then, EAT!