Orange and Beet Salad

Ingredients

• 1 bunch of beets, leaves removed – about 4 or 5 medium sized, scrubbed clean
• 2 large navel oranges, peels cut off with a small small knife and sliced
• 1 bunch of arugula leaves, cleaned, and any thick stems removed
• Several thin slices of red onion
• Optional 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 3 Tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon dried mustard
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Cook the beets first. For boiling, put the unpeeled beets in a pot, cover them with water, bring the water up to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, until a fork slides through them without much resistance.
2. If roasting sounds better, leave the skins on, wrap the beets in aluminum foil, and bake at 400 degrees F for an hour, or until they are tender.
3. Once the beets are cooked, set them aside until they reach room temperature, then slip off the skins. Cut the beets into slices or quarters.
4. If time allows, transfer the beets to a small bowl and toss them with half of the oil and vinegar dressing so they can marinate.
5. While the beets cook, prepare the dressing. Add all the dressing ingredients to a jar, close it tightly, and shake until everything comes together.
6. Build each salad plate with arugula, several orange slices, some beets, a little red onion, and chopped walnuts.
7. For extra color, lightly dip a few orange slices into the beet juice left in the bowl. Let them take on some of that color, then add them to the salad.
8. Drizzle the dressing over each salad and serve.