Maple Roasted Beet Salad with Vegan Goat Cheese – a bright and fresh salad with layers of flavor – rich roasted beets, crunchy salty marconas, creamy tangy goat cheese – will become a favorite!
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When I was in college, there was a singer in Portland who had this fantastic “lounge act” – Tony Starlight. He and his band would play various clubs around town, where he would give props to the classics like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Tom Jones and Neil Diamond. He has a perfect Neil Diamond voice.
To say I was a fan would be an understatement – I frequented his shows, I have the CD, I even had the calendar. His shows are good fun – he tells jokes, has a great singing voice (and sings great songs!), and his genuine admiration for classic musical talent comes through.
Then he moved to Hollywood. My friends and I missed those entertaining shows.
A few years ago, I was working at the desk of the spa I was managing at the time. The door opens and in walks a new client – ohmystars it was Tony Starlight! He had used his real name to make the appointment, so I had no idea. I was so dang excited – he and his wife had returned to Portland, and converted an old favorite nightclub, the Blackbird, into Tony Starlight’s Supper Club and Lounge. Same great act, in his own space, with the full supper club experience.
Saturday night we meet friends for the signature Tony Show (see link for videos!). We arrived early and were able to catch the last part of Tony and his band rehearsing for a Neil Diamond anniversary series coming soon. Did I tell you he has a perfect Neil Diamond voice?
The show was fantastic as always, my face hurt from smiling and laughing so much. When looking at the dinner menu, I saw a beet salad. I did not order it or see it, but in honor of fleet week beet week, I made an adapted version of Tony’s.
This is week two of Meatless Mondays A to Z, and b stands for beets!
maple roasted beet salad
dairy, soy and gluten free, vegan
serves two
2 medium size beets
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
2 servings kale chiffonade salad (recipes here and here)
marcona almonds
vegan goat cheese, crumbled
Scrub beets and slice thin, then chop each slice into quarters. Place a piece of foil on a baking sheet, pile beets in center of foil. Whisk together maple syrup, olive oil and lemon juice, pour over beets. Gather all sides/corners of foil, crimping closed. Roast in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes for crunchy beets, 30-35 minutes for softer beets.
Take care in opening the foil packet, as steam will escape when opened. Using tongs or fork, serve atop a kale chiffonade salad, with vegan goat cheese (or vegan cheese of choice) and marcona almonds.
…with a crisp white chardonnay, this was perfect.
Are you a fan of the classics, Frank, Dean or Sammy? Tom Jones? Neil Diamond?
Last week’s Meatless Monday recipe – artichoke shiitake ceviche.
More beet recipes:
pink thumbprints with whiskey ganache
spicy hot shots in chocolate glasses
kristy @ gastronomical sovereignty says
i made a beet salad recipe last week – beet salads are everything that’s good in the world. especially with goat cheese and some kind of nuts. mmmm beets and cheese and nuts… maybe i’ll make another one this weekend. haha.
as per usual, would love to see this post at the Fresh Foods Blog Hop love 🙂
spabettie says
ahh, sorry I keep forgetting about it. well, not really forgetting, just so dang busy. and forgetful 😉
beets and cheese and nuts, oh my! 😉
Heather @ Better With Veggies says
So what you’re saying is you’re taunting us with an amazing recipe, but we have to wait for the goat cheese post to actually make it?! Such a tease! 😉
spabettie says
heh heh. I better get on that, because ONE of the caperberry things I’m doing MAY have the goat cheese again… 😉
Isa says
tease tease! can’t wait to see the cheese, did you use the Irish moss again?
spabettie says
I did, but just a little! I wanted it to kinda hold together, but was going for a consistency of the soft goat cheese, so it could be optional. recipe coming soon! 😉
Ute says
this is a striking salad, very pretty! I like beets when they are fresh. I had to recover from a childhood of horrible canned beets yuck!
intrigued by a vegan goat cheese, hope you share that soon?
spabettie says
ACK, canned beets! 😉 not a fan here either. I will share the goat cheese soon, I promise!
Leanne @ Healthful Pursuit says
That’s too cool! Such a small world and great that you got to see him again.
I love this series – Meatless Mondays A-Z, so brilliant!
spabettie says
I know, so happy Tony is back in Portland! such a fun show.
you should join us with this series, Leanne – this next Monday is C – caperberries!
Maddy says
Oh man! I want that vegan goat cheese recipe 🙂
spabettie says
hi Maddy! I’ll be sharing soon! 😀
purelymichelle says
mmm you had me at beets!!
spabettie says
I know… roasted are my favorite!
Char @ www.charskitchen.ca says
That is such a cute story! I love nostalgic moments like that that take me back 🙂 Glad you had a great time!
This salad looks amazing! But I almost forgot about those thumbprint cookies! I saw you post them before & I just realized I forgot to pin them! They’re pinned now 😀 hehe. Chocolate, whiskey, & PINK, I’m all over it <3
spabettie says
those thumbprints are so fun – I love the color beets can give, the pink and brown are so fun! and yeah, chocolate and whiskey AND pink? my head just exploded.
Jeanette says
What a pretty salad – I’m a huge fan of roasted beet salads. Can’t wait to see your vegan goat cheese recipe!
spabettie says
thank you Jeanette – I loved how this looked too. we eat with our eyes first, right? goat cheese coming soon… 😉
Sarena (The Non-Dairy Queen) says
I need to roast beets! These sound amazing! It’s been so long since I played with beets. The last time I did anything with them, I smoked them. It was amazing! I need to get at that again!
spabettie says
I just bought myself a (stovetop) smoker, I need to play with it!! smoked beets sound GOOD. I always have beets in my fridge (daily juice!), but I forget how much I like to roast them – SO good. and honestly, they don’t even need the maple syrup – so sweet by themselves!