Are you looking for both a pretty salad and a delicious one? This Summery Beet and Strawberry Salad with Plum Dressing makes a statement with its pink, red, and purple hues.
Sum.mer.y – adjective. Characteristic or suitable for summer. Relating to summer. Some of the adjectives synonymous of summery are: bright, cheery, fresh, light, brighten up, cloudless, calm, or lack of stress.
As well as some summery vibes, this salad with its “pretty in pink” plum dressing is sure to bring a spark of color and flavor to any meal.
Whether you choose to serve it platter style or in a large bowl. It’s also very pretty individually plated, decorating each plate with the flowers and produce.
The roasted beets are so mild in this loaded with flavor salad. With sweet strawberries, tangy radish, and the sweet plum dressing, your mouth has a variety of flavors to enjoy.
Edible flowers, homegrown or from the market
The edible flowers are of course optional in this Summery Beet and Strawberry Salad with Plum Dressing. They do, however, add even more color to this array of fruits and vegetables. I like to use organic edible flowers, because others would most likely be sprayed. You can often find organic at your nearby market in the produce section. You could also visit your local farmers market and find some.
I like to grow edible varieties in my garden for easy harvesting. I choose varieties like geranium, roses, zinnia, snapdragon, pansies, lavender, nasturtium, and bachelor buttons. There are so many edible varieties that you can try. Some have a mild flavor and some are a bit stronger in flavor. I find that pansies and zinnia, as well as bachelor buttons are quite mild.
Although many varieties are mild, your recipients can choose to eat or not eat the flowers, of course. For me, they just make the item so much more vibrant and enjoyable! Salads and desserts come to life with fresh flowers and fresh herbs!
Along with fresh and edible flowers, you can find some of the freshest produce at farmers markets. We had some of the ripest and freshest strawberries while at the Windsor Farmers Market last week while we were there. They were like they were just farm picked!
Salad ideas
Whether you shop at the farmer’s market or not, using lots of different fruits and vegetables in my salads is something I strive for. It keeps me from getting bored with salad, because there are so many combinations of ingredients.
By adding different vegetable and fruit combinations to your diet, you possibly will attain greater health benefits. Eating more variety in fruits and vegetables may bring a greater selection of vitamins, antioxidants or more of a certain nutrient, or even more fiber in a given salad or meal.
The Summery Beet and Strawberry Salad with Plum Dressing has an array of vitamins as well. From the high nutrient containing beets, to the amount of fiber in the beets and the dressing, to the vitamin C and antioxidant rich, as well as manganese, folate, and potassium, containing strawberries. Both strawberries and beets are also low in calories and carbohydrates.
For another great salad that is loaded with vitamins and fiber, check out our Papaya, Avocado, Quinoa Salad (Gluten Free). This salad has such wonderful island flavors! If you can’t get papaya, try substituting mango. You could even add a little protein to this one to make it a complete meal salad.
Also, if you are unable to find guava juice, I like to use Passion Orange Guava Juice. Ceres makes a passion fruit juice blend, available on Amazon if you are unable to find it at the supermarket. Ceres 100% All Natural Pure Fruit Juice Blend – Delicious Passion Fruit Edition – Rich in Vitamin C, No Added Sugar or Preservatives, Cholesterol Free, Gluten Free – 33.8 FL OZ (Pack of 6).
Santa Rosa plums for the dressing
Use whatever plums you like in the dressing. We grew up eating Santa Rosa plums as my uncle had a tree. Now, that is still my favorite plum! I actually like it slightly underripe and tart, also.
If you do have some plums that are ripening too quickly, just cut them up and freeze them. You can use them frozen in smoothies or smoothie bowls, as well as in tarts or galettes. I love having frozen fruit on hand for all sorts of recipes.
Additionally, this Pretty in Pink Santa Rosa Plum Dressing is a great way to use up plums that are too ripe to eat. Your Summery Beet and Strawberry Salad with Plum Dressing may be the hit on your table. Even the eaters who don’t love beets may enjoy it with all the other flavors.
Summery Beet and Strawberry Salad with Plum Dressing (Gluten Free)
Ingredients
- 6-7 strawberries, washed and dried and cut into 1/4's
- 2-3 beets, washed and scrubbed poked and wrapped in foil
- 3-4 cups mixed lettuces
- 2-3 radishes, pink white or purple very thinly sliced
- 2-3 green onions, whole, ends cut in thin strips or chopped
- 10-12 edible flowers, rinsed and dried remove pedals off some
- 1 large sprig of thyme, leaves removed
Pretty in Pink Santa Rosa Plum Dressing
- 2 small Santa Rosa Plums, pits removed
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, gf
- 1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar, gf
- ½ teaspoon minced shallot
- ¼ cup avocado oil or mild olive oil
- 3 tbsp water
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Poke the beets with a knife. Wrap each in a piece of foil. Place on a baking sheet and roast in a 400-degree oven or convection oven for 28-40 minutes. Time will ary depending on the size of the beets. You should be able to easily pierce them with a knife.
- Remove the foil from each beet and cool. Once the beets have cooled, rub the skin off with a gloved hand or a paper towel, cut the stem off, then slice in half lengthwise, and each half in 4-6 wedges.
- Place the mixed lettuces in a large bowl or individual plates. Add the beets, strawberries, and radishes to the top or to each each individual plate if desired. Add the whole green onions around the edge of the bowl or on each plate. Finish with torn edible pedals or flowers. Chill plates or salad bowl for 1 hour. Drizzle with Pretty in Pink Santa Rosa Plum Dressing ust prior to serving.
Pretty in Pink Santa Rosa Plum Dressing
- Add the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Refrigerate any remaining dressing and use within 3 days or freeze. Makes 3/4 cup.
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