You might not know this yet, but if you follow me on Instagram at all, you’ll know that I LOVE salad. They are easy, and when done right, delicious. I have made this salad many times for parties (it’s always a hit), and for meals throughout the week. I love how simple it is yet how great the flavors balance out.

Many of my friends, clients, and people who don’t love salad as much as I do. That’s okay! They tell me that the salads they make at home don’t taste as good as the ones you can buy at restaurants. The struggle is real. This salad was inspired by a salad I had at a restaurant. Personally, I think mine is better. Please try it and let me know what you think in the comments below!

The Ingredients

Arugula has a mild peppery flavor that I love paired with the earthy flavor of red beets, tangy goat cheese, and my balsamic vinaigrette dressing. I add the pepitas for a nice crunch and extra boost in nutrients. Now in the summertime, I don’t boil or roast my beets. I “cheat” and buy them pre-boiled and peeled from my grocery store. It is SUCH a time saver! Don’t be afraid to take advantage of the prep being done for you. Life is busy, take advantage of the time savers out there!

Now, if you don’t like goat cheese, that’s okay! Feta cheese works just as well. Both have a great tangy quality, I just can’t have cow’s milk. If you don’t have pepitas on hand, any nut or seed will do. You can substitute sunflower seeds, almond slivers, cashew pieces, whatever you have on hand and/or like.

The Salad

For this salad, all you need to do is put two 2 handfuls of arugula and place them on a plate. Cut up enough beets to equal 1/4 cup diced beets. Add in 1-2 tbsp of crumbled goat cheese (or feta), and 2 tbsp of pepitas (or nut of choice). Then top with 1-2 tbsp of my balsamic vinaigrette dressing. You can use any other dressing but I cannot guarantee the results. 🙂 Of course, you can always add a meat of choice, diced steak is particularly delicious in this salad.