Playa Salad Recipe
mixed greens, spinach, golden roasted beets, blueberries, cara cara orange, feta cheese, toasted almond, coconut poppy seed vinaigrette
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Ingredients
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Salad greens & produce
Cheese & nuts
Coconut poppy seed vinaigrette
Roasting beets (if roasting from raw)
Method
Roasting beets (if needed)
- 1
Prepare and roast
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Trim beet greens, leaving about 1/2 inch of stem; scrub beets clean. Toss whole beets with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Wrap each beet individually in foil or place in a covered baking dish. Roast until fork-tender, about 45–60 minutes depending on size.
- 2
Peel and dice
When cool enough to handle, unwrap and slip skins off with a paper towel (skins should rub away). Dice roasted beets into about 1/2-inch cubes. Measure out 1 cup of diced golden beets for the salad; reserve any extra for another use.
Coconut poppy seed vinaigrette
- 3
Combine dressing ingredients
In a small bowl or jar, whisk together 3 tablespoons unsweetened coconut milk, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon honey and 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard until smooth and slightly emulsified.
- 4
Season and finish
Stir in 1 teaspoon poppy seeds, 1/2 to 1 teaspoon sea salt (use 1/2 tsp if beets were salted), and 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper to taste. Taste and adjust sweetness or acidity: add a little more honey or vinegar if desired. Keep refrigerated until ready to use; shake or whisk again before dressing the salad.
Toasting almonds
- 5
Assembling the Playa Salad
- 6
Place 4 cups mixed salad greens and 2 cups baby spinach in a large shallow bowl or on individual plates. Toss gently to combine.
- 7
Scatter 1 cup diced golden roasted beets evenly over the greens.
- 8
Add 3 ounces fresh blueberries and the segmented Cara Cara orange (segments from 1 orange) distributed across the salad.
- 9
Sprinkle 3 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese and the toasted sliced almonds over the top.
- 10
Drizzle the coconut poppy seed vinaigrette over the salad just before serving. Start with about 2–3 tablespoons of dressing, toss gently to coat, and add more if desired.
- 11
Finish with a small pinch of flaky sea salt and a grind of black pepper if desired. Serve immediately.