Roasted Beet Salad with Honey Balsamic Dressing

Roasted Beet Salad with Honey Balsamic Dressing
Cook's Notes: Adding in pear slices is a suggested ingredient. Look for precooked beets in the produce department as a time saver. The recipe serves 4. 
Ingredients;

• 3 bunches of small to medium beets - 8-10 beets, tops trimmed and scrubbed (look for a mixture of golden and red beets or use 3 small packages of cooked beets, sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• ½ small red onion - thinly sliced vertically
• Baby salad greens - such as spinach, mixed greens or arugula
• ½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts - toasted if desired or pecans
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• ½ cup crumbled goat or feta cheese
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries

Honey Balsamic Dressing

• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• ¼ cup canola oil
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons honey - or to taste
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 clove of garlic - minced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste

Salad Directions: 

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Mix olive oil and maple syrup. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Scrub the beets well with a vegetable brush under running water (no need to peel them at any point).
• Using a sharp chef’s knife, slice off the base of each beet to create a flat surface, and slice off the skinny pointy ends as well. Place each beet with its flat side against the cutting board and slice the beets in half, then slice the beets into wedges of even thickness, about ½ to ¾-inch thick on the widest edge.
• Coat with olive oil and maple syrup mixture. Place on the baking sheet.
• Roast for 35-45 or until beets can be easily pierced with a knife. Let cool, peel, and slice.
• In a bowl, combine sliced, cooled beets and red onion. Drizzle with 1/3-1/2 cup of the dressing and toss to coat to marinate. (Reserve remaining dressing for top of the salad if needed.) Let beets stand at room temperature for 15-20 minutes to absorb some of the dressing and soften the onions.
• If using precooked beets follow the same directions above except cooking them just marinate in the honey balsamic dressing.
• Place greens on a platter. Top with beet/red onion combination, then sprinkle walnuts, dried cranberries, and goat cheese over the top. Drizzle salad with more dressing if needed.
• Serve immediately

Honey Balsamic Dressing Directions:

While the beets are roasting, whisk together dressing ingredients and refrigerate until needed.