Beet Salad With Avocado, Arugula, and Goat Cheese

From deliciousliving magazine. For a beautiful presentation, try to locate mixed colors of beets (red, white, rainbow, golden for example.) To avoid the red beets from "bleeding" onto the other vegetables, keep separate until you are ready to compose the salad. A sprinkle of toasted nuts (pistachios, walnuts?) would be a delicious addition and freshly cracked black pepper was a nice final touch.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2-2  lbs beets, mixed colors if possible
• 1  small  clove garlic
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1  tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 2  handfuls arugula greens (about 2-3 cups)
• 2  ounces  goat cheese (I tried chevre, but feta is ok, too!)
• 1  small avocado, peeled and cut into long slices

Directions

1. Trim beets, leaving an inch of the tails and stems, and then steam whole over boiling water until tender when pierced with a fork, but not too soft; you want some texture. (A medium-size beet, 3–4 ounces, takes about 25 minutes.).
2. When done, cool, and then slip off skins. Cut beets into wedges or large dice, keeping different colors (if using) separate to avoid staining.
3. Pound garlic in a mortar with ¼ teaspoon salt until smooth; then stir in lemon juice and olive oil, plus freshly ground pepper to taste.
4. Toss each kind of beet in enough dressing to coat lightly. If any dressing remains, toss with arugula greens. Arrange greens on platter, and then beets.
5. Crumble goat cheese on and around beets; then add avocado slices. (Tip: after slicing the avocado, I lightly drizzle lemon juice on it to avoid browning.).