Pomegranate, Beet and Citrus Winter Salad

• 2-3 baby beets
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 5 ounces of mixed greens (4 large handfuls)
• ½ cup ricotta salata (crumbled)
• 4 tablespoons of pistachios (shelled/toasted)
• 4 tablespoons of fresh pomegranate seeds
• The zest, juice, and segments of 2 oranges
• The zest of 1 lemon (optional)
• 2 pinches of salt
• ¼ cup of Pomegranate-Balsamic Vinaigrette

For the Roasted Beets:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 F.
2. Toss the beets in the 1 tablespoon olive oil and add them to a pan and wrap with aluminum foil.
3. Bake at 350 F for about 60-75 minutes until you can easily pierce with a fork.
4. Once finished baking, pull the beets from the oven and immediately transfer them into a container that has a cover or that you can wrap with plastic and do so. Keep them covered for about 10 minutes. (The steam created helps release the skins and makes them easier to peel).
5. Once the beets have cooled to room temperature, peel the skin off of them and cut them to your desired size.
6. Toss the beets with olive oil and salt to taste before eating.

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To Complete the Salad:

1. Zest (with a microplane), segment, and juice the oranges and place them in a bowl to set aside. If you are adding the optional lemon zest, zest that into that same bowl.
2. Once the beets have cooled, add the mixed greens into a large bowl and season them with the 2 pinches of salt.
3. Once seasoned, add the vinaigrette and toss to evenly distribute.
4. Add the orange (zest/juice/segments), the optional lemon zest, the ricotta salata, the fresh pomegranate seeds, the diced beets, and the pistachios to the dressed greens and toss to evenly incorporate. Serve and enjoy.