People say, “Have an apple a day, keeps the doctor away”. I say, have a rainbow a day would probably do the trick much more efficiently. Of course, I meant eating foods the colors of a rainbow, not the rainbow itself. I wonder if it was my doctor (or possibly my Mom) who told me to eat the colors of the rainbow every day. Or did I hear that from Elmo? Any way, as you can see, I took that advice to heart.
When my kids saw this salad, they screamed “rainbow!” at the same time. So, I guess my “crafting” skills aren't as poor as I thought, if only this rainbow “construction” thing is considered crafting. Well, I guess, not really, but I wish!
How did I get the inspiration to create this rainbow salad? It all started when Kitchen PLAY contacted me to try Aunt Nellie’s Baby Whole Pickled Beets; I couldn’t be more happy about it. Beets are one of the foods that I disliked as a child but adore and can never get enough now. Do you see that deep red gorgeous color of the beets? That means they contain the powerful antioxidant, Betacyanins. These antioxidants are good for your heart and may even lower the risk for certain cancers. I wanted to create a recipe that showcases the importance of the colors in our diet. So, this Rainbow Salad was born.
Aunt Nellie’s Baby Whole Pickled Beets are picked and pickled at their perfect ripeness. They strike a natural balance of sweet and tangy. The flavors of the beets complement the peppery and spicy baby arugula that I used in this salad.
These baby whole pickled beets are sized just right for one bite, which is perfect as an appetizer for any gathering. I tossed them into my salad without additional chopping or slicing, which also saved me time in the kitchen. I used the pickling liquid to create the beautiful Pickled Beet and Herb Vinaigrette for the salad, which was easy to make and really refreshing. Yup, you know me: nothing goes to waste in this household. So, make sure you don’t drain your pickling liquid.
Check out each of the ingredients from this Rainbow salad in the picture below.
Red=Aunt Nellie’s Baby Whole Pickled Beets
Orange=Orange Bell Pepper
Yellow=Hard Boiled Eggs
Green=Green Beans
Blue=Blueberry
Purple=Red Cabbage
White Cloud=Feta Cheese
All ingredients sitting on top of Baby Arugula:
This Rainbow Salad is certainly a show-stopper. So, be sure to serve up on your next gathering.
It’s so simple and easy to put together that I made this on a week night. And my Baby Girl already asked me for more the very next day.
To have even more fun with Aunt Nellie's full line of glass-packed vegetables, sign up hereto receive a coupon good toward the purchase price of any Aunt Nellie's product. Then, create your own fun dish using that product for a chance to win $250 from Aunt Nellie's and Kitchen PLAY. See specific rules at Kitchen PLAY. Limited quantities available. Sweepstakes ends 8/31/12.
Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Kitchen PLAY and Aunt Nellie’s Baby Whole Pickled Beets. All opinions are my own and always will be.
Health and General Disclaimers.
Rainbow Salad: (Printable Recipe)
3 eggs
1 cup green beans, trimmed
1(1pound) jar of Aunt Nellie’s Pickled Whole Baby Beet
3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
4 cups baby arugula
1 Orange Bell Pepper, thinly slices
2 cups blueberries
1 cup red cabbage, shredded
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
In a medium saucepan filled with cool tap water, place the eggs in the pot before heating on the stove. Make sure the water covers the eggs by at least an inch. When the water comes to a full boil, cover and remove from heat. Let the eggs sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove eggs with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl of ice water until completely cool to the touch. Remove the shells and cut each egg in slices. Set aside.
Return the same sauce pan of water to a boil; Blanch the green beans for one minute. Remove the green beans with a slotted spoon and place into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Drained and pat dry, set aside.
Drained the baby beet and reserve 1/4 cup of the pickling liquid. Place the pickling liquid back to the jar; add olive oil, thyme leaves, salt and pepper. Close the lid and shake the vinaigrette until well combined. Set aside.
To assemble: on a large platter or serving plate, scatter the baby arugula in an even layer, place pickled whole baby beets in an arch shape on the top of the arugula to form the rainbow shape. Follow by orange bell pepper, sliced hard boiled eggs, blanched green beans, blueberries, and red cabbage. Place 1/4 cup of crumbled feta cheese on both ends of the “rainbow” and enjoy. Serve with pickled beet vinaigrette on the side.
