i know that i’m about a month early, but i am already getting excited for valentine’s day. it is hands down my favorite holiday. yes, yes, i know that seems a little odd. and you could probably dive deep into years back to hear all my theories on love and valentine’s day. but i’ll sum up the moral of the story for you.

to me, love isn’t just about feeling all warm and fuzzy about your significant other. to me, that special day of love is all about showing love to your friends, your family and yourself. love is beautiful in it’s many forms and it should be celebrated a little bit EVERY day.

with all that love in mind, i’m spending the next few weeks focused on delicious and beautiful dishes that are perfect for celebrating love with anyone you love. dishes that are great for a crowd, an intimate gathering or enjoyed all on your own.

first up is an absolutely DELECTABLE and beautifully seasonal winter salad. citrus is at it’s BEST right now and are the brightest, boldest and most colorful deep in the winter. not only that, it is packed full of vitamins & minerals to keep your immune system pumped up during cold and flu season.

i prepped this salad for wes and i to enjoy together, but i gave him one bite to show him how amazing it was and then i ate the rest by myself. you know, showing myself some self love.

roasted beet & winter citrus salad

serves: 4

prep time: 15 minutes

cook/active time: 45 minutes

total time: 1 hour

ingredients: .25 cup olive oil. 4 cups arugula. 6-8 assorted citrus fruit, peeled and sliced into .25 inch thick slices (if you are not sure the best way to easily peel your citrus, follow THIS GUIDE. reserve the skins with any fruit on them to squeeze the juice out.i used 2 grapefruit, 2 blood oranges and 2 cara cara oranges because all but my blood oranges were pretty large. however, you can use any combination of citrus fruit that you enjoy eating straight. options like grapefruit, pomelo, blood, valencia, cara cara, and navel oranges as well as tangerines are all awesome options. get creative. the varied fruits give a lot of flavor and visual appeal). 1 smaller red beet (about the size of a tennis ball) peeled and sliced into 1 inch pieces. *note that i cut mine to big. make them a size that you can take in one bite so the salad is easier to eat and they cook faster. .25 cup crumbled goat cheese. .25 cup chopped pistachios. 1 small shallot, minced. the juice of 1 lemon. 1 tsp whole grain mustard. 1 tsp finely chopped chives. 1 tsp kosher salt. .25 tsp freshly ground pepper. baking sheet. parchment paper.

start by preheating your oven to 425 degrees f. line your baking sheet with parchment paper and place your beets on the pan in an even layer. drizzle them with about .2 tbs of the olive oil and season with half the salt and pepper. roast your beets till tender. about 30-40 minutes.

while your beets roast, set up the rest of your salad. in a large bowl or on a platter, lay out your citrus. sprinkle with half the remaining salt and pepper. top the citrus with the arugula, the goat cheese and the pistachios. in a small bowl, combine the rest of the oil, the shallot, any remaining citrus juice you got from your peels, the juice of your lemon, mustard, chives and the remaining salt and pepper. stir well till everything is combined. and set it aside.

when your beets are ready, spoon the nice and hot beets onto your salad. drizzle the salad with your vinaigrette.

serve and enjoy.

xo, a

roasted beet & winter citrus salad

serves: 4

prep time: 15 minutes

cook/active time: 45 minutes

total time: 1 hour

ingredients: .25 cup olive oil. 4 cups arugula. 6-8 assorted citrus fruit, peeled and sliced into .25 inch thick slices (if you are not sure the best way to easily peel your citrus, follow THIS GUIDE. reserve the skins with any fruit on them to squeeze the juice out.i used 2 grapefruit, 2 blood oranges and 2 cara cara oranges because all but my blood oranges were pretty large. however, you can use any combination of citrus fruit that you enjoy eating straight. options like grapefruit, pomelo, blood, valencia, cara cara, and navel oranges as well as tangerines are all awesome options. get creative. the varied fruits give a lot of flavor and visual appeal). 1 smaller red beet (about the size of a tennis ball) peeled and sliced into 1 inch pieces. *note that i cut mine to big. make them a size that you can take in one bite so the salad is easier to eat and they cook faster. .25 cup crumbled goat cheese. .25 cup chopped pistachios. 1 small shallot, minced. the juice of 1 lemon. 1 tsp whole grain mustard. 1 tsp finely chopped chives. 1 tsp kosher salt. .25 tsp freshly ground pepper. baking sheet. parchment paper.

start by preheating your oven to 425 degrees f. line your baking sheet with parchment paper and place your beets on the pan in an even layer. drizzle them with about .2 tbs of the olive oil and season with half the salt and pepper. roast your beets till tender. about 30-40 minutes. while your beets roast, set up the rest of your salad. in a large bowl or on a platter, lay out your citrus. sprinkle with half the remaining salt and pepper. top the citrus with the arugula, the goat cheese and the pistachios. in a small bowl, combine the rest of the oil, the shallot, any remaining citrus juice you got from your peels, the juice of your lemon, mustard, chives and the remaining salt and pepper. stir well till everything is combined. and set it aside. when your beets are ready, spoon the nice and hot beets onto your salad. drizzle the salad with your vinaigrette. serve and enjoy.