HOLISTIC CHEF EDDIE'S TIP OF THE DAY #59

This is a great fall salad to serve for your family and is so colorful for the holidays.  GREEN APPLE & BEET SALAD WITH PISTACHIOS is today's choice.  I have always loved beets and usually roast them which I do for this recipe.  They are so healthy and come in a variety of colors.  I love mixing the colors of golden and red beets.  They play some very important functions for the body.  For instance, like cinnamon, they lower blood pressure, detox the liver, improve the flow of blood to the brain and fight free radicals.  They are a potent antioxidant and an anti inflammatory.  Pretty powerful plant, huh?  Sometimes I like to mix them raw in my Green Juice.  It naturally sweetens it up a bit.  When I had cancer, I steered clear of any vegetables that were high in sugar to include beets and carrots.  I suggest you do the same.  Only a suggestion!  I have been doing a detox lately and find that Beets are essential along with the Spinach that I include in this recipe.  I also included Granny Smith Apple in the salad which is high in fiber, combats inflammation, is lower in sugar and contains Vitamin C.  When you put lots of color in your foods, it heightens your senses since not only does the food taste good but it looks beautiful.  I know I tend to gravitate to foods that are pleasing to the eye.  What a beautiful salad for the fall.  Enjoy!

             GREEN APPLE & BEET SALAD 
                       WITH PISTACHIOS

1 medium sized Red Beet, peeled and cut in half moon slices 1/4 inch thick
1 medium sized Yellow Beet, peeled and cut in half moon slices 1/4 inch thick
1 Jalapeno Pepper, seeded
2 Tablespoons fresh Lemon Juice
2 Tablespoons fresh Lime Juice
1 Tablespoon Liquid Monkfruit Sweetener (zero glycemic, 200 times sweeter than sugar)
Salt and Pepper (to taste)
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
6 ounces Baby Spinach
3/4 cup roasted Pistachios, roughly chopped
1 Granny Smith Apple, halved and cut into 1/4 inch slices

1)  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Peel the beets and separate the colors.  Halve the Red Beet and cut it into 1/4 inch slices.  Place in a small bowl.  Do the same with the Yellow Beet and place in a different bowl.  Red Beets bleed and you don't want them to bleed all over the Yellow Beet.  Sprinkle Salt and Pepper over each of the beets and 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil.  Mix well. Place on a sheet pan separating the two colors.  Bake until tender and a fork can easily go into the flesh about 45 minutes.  Set aside apart and let cool.
2)  Process the Jalapeno, Lemon Juice, Lime Juice, Salt and Pepper, Liquid Monkfruit Sweetener (or honey) in a blender.  While the blender is running add the Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a steady stream until it is smooth.  Set aside.
3)  Toss the Granny Smith Apple and the  Beets separately with one Tablespoon each of the  dressing.  Add the Spinach, Pistachios and Granny Smith Apple and both color Beets.  Add more dressing and toss or serve the dressing on the side.  I like to toss the Granny Smith Apple and Beets in a little dressing so they don't dry out if I am serving the dressing on the side.  This also keeps the Apple from turning brown since there is Lemon and Lime Juice in the dressing.  Happy Fall and Fall colors like the ones in the salad.  

​NOTE:  Add some Goat Cheese on top if you are able to have dairy products.  It adds more flavor and color.