Salad with Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

The days have started to get verrrry chilly in my part of the world!

Well, it never really gets that cold here in south east Queensland, but some days can get pretty cold. I love the colder weather, and basically spend 10 months of the year waiting for the slight winter we get here to come!

I have been eating a lot of salads for the past 6 or so months. Lunch and dinner thats all I crave. A giant salad, every veggie in the house thrown in, usually with my caesar dressing.

But when you’re freezing your buns off, it’s hard to really enjoy cold salad. You need more warming, comforting foods. Roasted veggies are the simple and elegant solution.

Roasted garlic makes a great salad dressing, 1) because garlic makes everything better, and 2) roasted garlic becomes very creamy and thickening. You get a beautiful thick, creamy and deep garlic flavoured dressing. Perfection.

Roasted Purple Carrot & Baby Beet Salad with Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

A warming and simple roasted salad.

Serves: 1-2

Ingredients:

2 thin purple carrots, quartered lengthways
4 baby beets, halved
1 bulb garlic
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 lemon, juiced
2 Tbsp olive oil or flax seed oil
1 head of cos (romaine) or fancy lettuce
vegan feta cheese (recipe in Living on the Vedge)

Method:

Place the carrots, beets and garlic bulb on a baking tray and drizzle with some coconut oil.
Roast for 45 minutes on 175°C / 350°F. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes.
Carefully remove the garlic from the skin and add to a small food processor or mini blender. Add the mustard, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice and olive oil. Blend in to a smooth dressing.
Wash and pull apart the lettuce and add to a large salad bowl or plate.
Spread the roasted beets and carrots over the lettuce. Add a few spoonfuls of vegan feta randomly.
Drizzle the dressing over the salad. Enjoy!

Want some other warming comfort foods for the winter? Try these: