Healthy Eating: Golden Beet Salad with Shallots, Parsley, and Orange Miso Dressing

for the salad:
3-4 medium golden beets
10 small shallots
1 cup uncooked rainbow quinoa
1.5 cups vegetable broth
2 small seedless navel oranges, segmented and chopped (see note)
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
handful finely chopped pistachios, for garnish (optional)
Orange Miso Dressing: (makes: ~1/3 cup)
1/3 cup orange juice
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil (or olive oil)
1-2 tbsp light miso dressing (I used 2 tbsp chickpea miso), to taste
1 medium garlic clove, peeled
1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger
1/2 tsp cane sugar (or maple syrup), or to taste
1. Preheat oven to 375F and line a dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot with a piece of parchment paper.
2. Trim beet greens, leaving 2-3 inches of the stem on the beet (this prevents the beet from drying out while roasting). Note: If you buy loose beets without stems this is fine too. Use what you can find. Reserve beet greens for sautéing, if desired. Wash beets, but do not peel them.
3. Place beets inside the pot. Drizzle on olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roll around the beets to coat.
4. Soak shallots in a bowl of water for a few minutes. This helps to loosen the skin. Slice both ends off the shallots and then peel all the skin off each. Place a piece of tin foil on the counter (about 1 square foot) and place the shallots on top. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Rub the shallots to combine. Gather the tin foil at each side and crinkle it upward to seal the top. Place shallots in the pot along with the beets.
5. Place lid on pot and roast beets and shallots for about 1 hour at 375F.
6. Meanwhile, cook the quinoa. Rinse the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer and place it into a pot along with 1.5 cups of vegetable broth. Bring to a low boil, reduce heat to low-medium, and cover with tight fitting lid. Simmer for 17-20 minutes covered, or until all the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork.
7. Prepare the dressing by processing together all the dressing ingredients. I like to use a mini processor for my dressings because the clean-up is minimal. You could also whisk everything together by hand too.
8. After 1 hour, remove pot from the oven to check on things. Remove the shallots and set aside on the counter (keep the tin foil on so they stay warm). Carefully, prick the largest beet with a fork. If it slides easily through, it’s ready. If your fork feels resistance, it needs more time in the oven. I had to cook my beets for about 1 hour and 25 minutes, so don’t be alarmed if it takes you more time.
9. Remove beets from oven, remove lid, and allow beets to cool until they can be handled. Trim both ends of the beet and discard. Run water over beets and peel the skin off with your fingers (the skin should slide off fairly easily) and then slice beets into bite-sized pieces for the salad.
10. To assemble the salad: Toss together the cooked quinoa, chopped parsley, Herbamare or sea salt, and a couple tablespoons of the dressing. Gently fold in the shallots, segmented oranges, and beets. Drizzle on the rest of the dressing, sprinkle on pistachios (optional), and serve immediately.
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