Delicious sweet and crunchy winter salad

Well there you go – salad doesn’t have to be boring! The roasted and sweet elements in this version create a beautiful flavour. Adding cooked or roasted elements make a salad more winter-friendly so you can also enjoy it during the colder season. This delicious version is vegetarian, gluten free and low-fat.

Ingredients

• 5 cups baby spinach
• 3 fresh whole beetroot
• ½ heaped cup walnuts
• 180g grapes
• 1 small fennel bulb
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon honey

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Trim leaves off beetroot, wash, dry and wrap in foil. Place on baking tray and roast for 50 minutes. Remove and let cool down.
2. In the meantime toast walnuts in frypan over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes.
3. Finely slice fennel and chop grapes in half.
4. Remove the foil of the beetroot and whilst wearing disposable gloves peel the skin off with your fingers. (I don’t use gloves, but hold the beetroot with a fork and peel)
5. Cut beetroot into chunks and mix with baby spinach in large bowl. Add grapes, walnuts and fennel.
6. Mix olive oil, balsamic & honey well to combine. Drizzle over salad and serve.

Cooking tips

Cooking time may vary depending on size of beetroots, smaller beetroots may only need 35-40 minutes (or you can chop them to reduce time).

What’s good about this recipe?

This recipe is part of the Wellvess 8-week arthritis program. Our program is packed with delicious anti-inflammatory recipes, cooking tips, latest research on supplements, exercise tips and a forum to connect with others. All recipes have a section like the one below, highlighting the anti-inflammatory properties of the ingredients.

Baby spinach is high in vitamin A, vitamin C and folate. Two cups of spinach will provide the daily value of vitamin A, necessary for healthy vision, immune function, and skin and bone health. The same serve also meets the recommended day’s intake of vitamin C, needed for healthy gums, teeth, and bones as well as wound healing and fighting infection. Spinach is also one of best sources of lutein and zeaxanthin, two antioxidants that help protect our eyes as we age.

Beetroot is an excellent source of vitamin C, beta-carotene, folate, potassium and fibre. The rich purple colour is due to high levels of phytonutrients (a potent antioxidant called betalain). Research has also suggested that beetroot may assist with maintaining good blood pressure.

Walnuts are one of the few plant sources of omega-3 fats containing significant amounts in the form of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) –1884mg per 30g handful (1300mg is the daily amount needed). Research has shown that ALA from a 37g handful of walnuts each day can reduce inflammation.

Fennel boasts a unique combination of phytonutrients. The flavonoids rutin, quercitin, and various kaempferol glycosides give it strong antioxidant activity. It also contains anethole, which may reduce inflammation and help prevent the occurrence of cancer.

Tell us, what is your favourite type of salad?