For The Love of Beets: Beet Salad with Feta, Quinoa and Walnuts

(Pic from Salt and Pepper, a random blog that had a great picture. Check out her salad!)

We got this recipe with one one of our CSA boxes 2 years ago, and we still have it a couple times a month. The first time we made it, it was supposed to be a lunch with my good friend who is a vegetarian. As things go, it ended up being dinner and she brought her boyfriend. In an attempt to make this a meal for many, we quickly made some quinoa (we like red or black better then white) and stirred it all in together. Oh my! It has been a hit with anyone who has had it. I'll include the epicurious.com recipe, but I don't measure the sauce ingredients anymore. I put a lot more in to make up for the added grain. Give it a try!

BEETS AND CARAMELIZED ONIONS WITH FETA

1 Tablespoon cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard (preferably whole-grain or coarse-grain)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 lb onions (one medium), quartered lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
1 bunch small whole beets, scrubbed and trimmed to leave 1 inch of stem
2 oz crumbled feta (about 1/3 cup)
1/8 cup pine nuts (1 oz), toasted and coarsely chopped (we use walnuts)

Roast, steam or boil beets ahead of time. Or use canned. We freeze them when we get a lot during the summer.

Make quinoa according to package directions. (I saved the directions off the first box we bought, and then bough bulk after that).

Whisk together vinegar, mustard, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl, then add 1 tablespoon oil, whisking until combined well.

Cook onions with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Add onions to dressing, then add beets and cheese, stirring gently to combine. Serve sprinkled with nuts.