Beetroot and carrot summer salad

Fresh, nutritious, quickly prepared!

Here is a recipe for a simple and tasty beet and carrot spring salad, which is quick to prepare and keeps for a long time. Always have the basic ingredients on hand in the refrigerator and finish the preparation with oil, herbs and greens, according to your doshas and those of your guests!

INSTRUCTIONS

Base (storage 1 week)

1 Grate or cut the beets and carrots into very thin julienne strips, mix

2 Add cumin, cinnamon and lemon (or lime) juice

 

3 Place in a glass dish in the refrigerator until ready to serve

When serving

4 Soak the raisins in water for 2 to 3 hours

5 Finely chop your chosen herbs and arrange the fresh greens in serving bowls

6 Mix the beet and carrot preparation with the oil, herbs and rehydrated grapes

7 Place the mixture on the fresh greens in the bowls, garnish with lemon zest to taste

Ayurvedic profile

Beneficial for: vata and pitta

Worsens: kapha in excessive amounts

Dominant flavor:  Mild/Sweet, Acid

Secondary flavor: Bitter

INGREDIENTS

    • 2 cups grated raw beets
    •  2 cups grated raw carrot
    •  1 tsp ground cumin
    •  ½ tsp ground cinnamon
    •  juice of a lemon
    •  4 tbsp olive oil
    •  2 cups of greens of your choice (see variations suggested by dosha )
    •  1 cup fresh herbs of your choice (see variations suggested by dosha )
    •  ½ cup rehydrated raisins (optional)
    •  zest of a lemon

Variation for VATA types

    • Serve on a bed of raw baby spinach for its vitamin and mineral content
    •  Recommend aromatic herbs: coriander, mint, dill
    •  Increase the quantity of oil by half for its smoothness and lemon juice for its acidic flavor
    •  Double the amount of cumin and add pepper to aid digestion

Variations for PITTA types

    • Serve on a bed of arugula and/or chicory for their freshness and bitter flavor
    •  Recommend fresh and salted herbs: parsley, lovage, celery leaves
    •  Replace lemon juice with lime juice, which is sweeter and less acidic
    •  Increase the quantity of rehydrated grapes by half for their sweet flavor

Variation for KAPHA types

    • Serve on a bed of arugula and/or chicory for their freshness and bitter flavor
    •  Recommend spicy herbs: watercress, chives, thyme
    •  Decorate everything with sunflower shoots for their astringency
    •  Halve the quantity of oil
    •  Double the amount of cinnamon for its spicy flavor

NOTES

Full of antioxidants and vitamins

Beetroot is an excellent antioxidant vegetable, rich in fiber, magnesium and iron, in addition to promoting lymph circulation. Mixed with carrots and different herbs, you obtain a salad full of vitamins and minerals, which promotes eye health and is perfect for keeping the 3 doshas balanced. Not mixing the oil directly before storing in the refrigerator causes the salad to “dry out” a little instead of quickly spoiling or molding, with the lemon or lime juice and spices ensuring its preservation until one week. By adding the oil and greens at the last minute, you can easily restore its moisture. Freshly added herbs as a finishing touch preserve their full nutritional potential.