Beet, Red Cabbage & Carrot Salad with Seeds, Currants and Orange Pomegranate Molasses Dressing

by Lynne on July 21, 2011

Post image for Beet, Red Cabbage & Carrot Salad with Seeds, Currants and Orange Pomegranate Molasses Dressing

Beet, Red Cabbage and Carrot Salad with Seeds and Orange Pomegranate Molasses Dressing

In the past three weeks I have made a Blueberry Cake, Checkerboard Cookies and Peanut Butter Cookies. I also made a Plum Tart, which I haven’t even told you about yet. That is four desert items. Ahem… I rarely make deserts around here, because then I eat them. You know what I mean.

So to get myself back on track, I decided to make a really healthy salad. And this Beet Salad has got to be one of the healthiest salads on the planet. Beets, Cabbage, Carrots, four kinds of Seeds and a bunch of Spinach. Plus Orange Juice. Oh man!

Beet, Red Cabbage and Carrot Salad with Seeds and Orange Pomegranate Molasses Dressing 1

The colors in this salad are spectacular with the red cabbage and red onions, orange carrots, beets the color of red wine and the greens of the spinach and mint. Beautiful.

Beet Salad 2

This is how the salad looks when you are actually eating it. The dressing turns a brilliant red from the beets. There is something that happens when you taste the orange zest, cumin seeds and currents together. Some kind of magic on your taste buds. You’ll have to try it and see what I mean.

Beet Salad 3

And this is what my leftover salad looks like in its plastic container, ready to go in the frig. I love leftovers, as you know. I saved the dressing separately so tomorrow when I get home from work everything will be ready to mix up. No cutting or chopping! No measuring or whisking! I can hardly wait!

P.s. My Fourth of July guests ate the Blueberry Cake. My husband liked the Checkerboard Cookies a lot, so they’re gone. The Peanut Butter Cookies are in the freezer. Now, about the Plum Tart, um, it’s in the frig and is being slowly reduced by one 1-inch-wide piece per day. Truly. I’m being good, I promise.

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Beet, Red Cabbage & Carrot Salad with Seeds, Currants
and Orange Pomegranate Molasses Dressing

Serves 4

¼ cup pumpkin seeds
¼ cup sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1-2 teaspoons cumin seeds, to taste

¼ red cabbage, finely shredded
1 large carrot , grated
1 cooked beet, grated, dried between paper towels
2 cups packed baby spinach leaves, stemmed, finely chopped
¼ cup red onion, ¼-inch dice
¼ cup dried currants
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint

Dressing

Finely grated zest of 1 orange
Juice of 1 orange
3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Note: To cook beets, trim both ends and rub with olive oil. Roast in 400 degree F oven for one hour. When cool enough to handle, slip off the skins with a paper towel. Chill.

1. In a medium pan over medium heat, toast all the seeds together until slightly brown, 3-5 minutes. Stir frequently. You will know they are done when the pumpkin seeds start popping.

2. Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the Dressing ingredients. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, combine the toasted seeds, cabbage, carrot, beet, spinach, red onion, currants and mint.

4. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Serve.

{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }

polwig July 21, 2011 at 12:29 pm

Anything with cabbage has to be on my list… and no cooking so I am def making it this week… Love the colors too.

Heidi @ Food Doodles July 21, 2011 at 7:39 pm

Wow, I love how colorful this is! The citrus sounds delicious with the cabbage and beet and the other veggies. Yum!

Lentil Breakdown July 21, 2011 at 7:46 pm

This salad is so me, why have you been withholding it? Wow! My fave ingredients all in one recipe—beets, red cabbage, cumin seeds, etc., etc. I even have a bottle of pomegranate molasses I’ve never used! Hot damn, girl!

Bee July 21, 2011 at 8:34 pm

This looks like such a bright, fun salad! AND I LOVE BEETS!! Definitely my favorite root veggie, if not favorite food overall 🙂

Stacy (Little Blue Hen) July 21, 2011 at 11:40 pm

That salad is absolutely gorgeous! Mmm, colors. It also sounds amazing. I think we’re finally past beet season here, but I’m hanging on to this recipe for later!

Shannon July 22, 2011 at 7:17 am

I was just browsing Foodgawker to find ways to use some of my CSA veggies, and this looks perfect! We have beets, carrots, red cabbage, and red onion to use, and we have mint in our garden. I’m so excited!

Sylvia@bascooking July 23, 2011 at 5:42 am

Wow my first visit and I amazed, what a wonderful recipes you have here.Love the dressing, sounds delicious

Sally July 23, 2011 at 5:43 am

So glad to find your blog! Love your recipes and photos. It sounds like you are now settled in your new kitchen and eating well….I’m going for salad every day this summer, so I am happy to find this beet salad–can’t wait to try it.

Andrea @ Fork Fingers Chopsticks July 23, 2011 at 2:41 pm

I’ll have to check on my beets and see if they are ready cuz this salad is getting made when they’re ready. I even have the pomegranate molasses and all the seeds.

I just bought a mandoline and was wondering if you use one or just knife it. For years I refused to buy a mandoline, but the last year I was spending a long, long time finely slicing cabbage and other ingredients. It’s still in the box and now I’m second-guessing?

Magic of Spice July 29, 2011 at 8:50 am

I almost picked up some beets last weekend at the farmers’ market…this salad looks wonderful! Gorgeous color and so summery 🙂

polwig August 19, 2011 at 8:06 pm

I made this salad yesterday and it was SO good. I have no idea where you find pomegranate molasses in VA since I went to 4 very specialized stores and they did not have it. At the end i mixed regular molasses with pomegranate juice (did not have jam either, darn south). The salad was amazing though.

GT September 1, 2011 at 4:33 am

@polwig Just ran across a post in Foodista with a link to a recipe for making your own pomegranate molasses: http://www.foodista.com/blog/2011/08/31/diy-pomegranate-molasses-and-5-must-try-recipes

Salad sounds delicious!

Gwen @SimplyHealthyFamily September 17, 2011 at 1:13 pm

This looks fantastical! I will most def be making this soon. I came across this on Knapkins. nice to meet you.

Jennifer March 16, 2012 at 10:55 pm

LOVE the salad. I made it the other day and it is beautiful. Thanks from Wellington, New Zealand xx

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