This feel-good, healthy spinach salad is loaded up with plenty of roasted carrots and beets and doused in an unreal maple vinaigrette.—Kick those healthy diets into high gear!
Aaand BAM. The new year is upon us! And thus begins the season of salads and the outlawing of calories and carbs.
Okay, yeah I clearly have zero intention or motivation to follow that last rule. Hi, have you met me? I’m Sarah the carb queen.
But January salads? I can get behind that. I like to think that in addition to being a carb queen, I can also wear the salad hat and be a salad queen.
SO. Your New Years Eve. Any fun things go down? Did you make any amazing food that you for some reason can’t remember right now? (haha) You guys could probably guess that I am a HUGE party animal for these types of things, only I prefer to get my party on with Netflix, warm blankets, and multiple lattes from my new BFF. And then trudging upstairs to bed at 11, because I’m also a tired wimp.
But wimps sometimes have it good because I woke up all fresh and rested this morning and READY to tackle 2016. And my first method of tackling involves salad. Just a big ‘ol, feel-good, veggie-loaded spinach salad.
That you should probably know, I’ve been eating on roughly a biweekly basis lately. Ohmigosh, and I am normally not even too big a fan of spinach salads! I’m typically a romaine lady, but this spinach salad has changed my mind.
Maybe it’s the beets and carrots that get roasted to perfection in extensive amounts of maple syrup and olive oil? Yes, that is likely the cause. A salad game-changer and something I wouldn’t mind eating straight off the sheet.
It’s seriously so wonderful. ♥
Whatever you don’t pluck off the baking sheet gets tossed with ‘zee spinach greens, toasty almonds, a sprinkling of goat cheese, (if you’re not a fan, feel free to sub your fav cheese!) and a tangy balsamic-maple vinaigrette douses the whole glorious thing.
I go heavy on the dressing dousing. It makes everything better, plus it’s a lighter dressing so there you go.
Hooooold me.
Even all you beet nay-sayers are going to love this salad because I’m telling you: Maple syrup and a quick little roasting. They change EVERYTHING you ever thought you disliked about beets.
And I mean really, is this not the prettiest bowl of healthy salad colors your eyes have ever seen?
Y’all ready for a 2016 like no other? Hint: Success starts with spinach salad. Let’s all be salad queens. (and kings!)
Maple-Roasted Beet and Carrot Spinach Salad
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Ingredients
- 3 medium carrots peeled and sliced 1/4-in thick
- 3 medium beets peeled and sliced 1/4-in thick
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 cups baby spinach leaves
- 1/2 cup almonds toasted
- 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
- BALSAMIC-MAPLE DRESSING:
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Toss carrots and beets with maple syrup and olive oil until coated. Spread in a single layer on a greased baking sheet. Roast at 400F 20-25 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove from oven and cool.
- Once vegetables are cooled, toss in a large bowl with spinach, almonds, and goat cheese. Set aside for a moment to make the dressing.
- In a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine all dressing ingredients and shake several times until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Just before serving, drizzle dressing over spinach salad and gently toss to coat. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Let’s get this salad party started NOW!
Sandra @ Heavenly Home Cooking says
What a beautiful colorful salad! Spinach is a breakfast, lunch, and dinner item for me. I could eat this salad all day long! Maple vinaigrette? Genius!
Sarah says
Thank you Sandra! Great way to ease back into healthy food, right?? 😉
Christine says
This looks so yummy my saliva glands are going overtime! I love spinach and look forward to making this! Was intrigued by the vinaigrette… this is a keeper!
Sarah says
Haha thank you so much, Christine! Let me know if you give this salad a try!
Izzy says
I’ll take all the salads but I also want to keep the calories and carbs, is that ok?!! Those roasted beets look gorgeous and I want to eat this salad for every meal! I hope you had a great Christmas and a Wonderful New Year!
Sarah says
Haha! I’m with you! Carbs need to stay around, but as long as we have salads too, it’s okay right?? 😉
Rachel @ Bakerita says
It’s rare that I crave salad but this one is SO gorgeous that all I want to do is grab a fork and dig in!!
Sarah says
Salads can totally be crave-worthy when there’s beets involved right?? 😉
Marilyn says
I found this on Big Oven. I am making this for Easter. I would LOVE for you to share this Thursdy at The Recipe Sharing Party where every link is pinned and yummed. marilynstreats.com/blog/linkups/recipe-sharing-party-other