Meatless Monday: Vinegret Beet Salad

Today's extra yummy Meatless Monday recipe comes from a good friend of mine who brought this delightful salad to my Memorial BBQ. It contains my favorite vegetable as the main ingredient- beets! This is a salad the entire family will love- I swear! Even kids who get turned off by vegetables should like this one. It turns a bright magenta color once it's all mixed together which may help entice them further. Lily gobbled it all up and so did everyone at the party. Luckily my friend made more than enough, so there were leftovers all for me to enjoy for the rest of the week!  

Vinegret (vee-neh-GRET)

(serves a party! cut amounts in half to serve a family)

Ingredients

1 lb beets, peeled
1 lb carrots
1 lb potatoes, peeled
1/2 lb sauerkraut
1/2 lb dill pickles
1/3 lb onion
1/2 lb sweet peas
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Apprx. 1/2 tsp salt (optional)

Boil or steam beets, carrots and potatoes until soft, then allow them to cool down. Next, chop them into small pieces (very small cubes). Chop pickles and onion into small pieces too, then add to vegetables in a large serving dish or bowl. Next, add the sauerkraut and salt. Pour the oil on top then mix it all together. It should become a bright, magenta color. Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving. Delicious on lettuce or as is. 

Note: it may not look this pink right away, this image was shot a couple of says after the salad was originally made

Some pickier children may think this looks "weird", but get them to try it and I will be surprised if they don't like it. The sweet and salty combination is a real crowd-pleaser, and it's so easy to make and relatively inexpensive. This is a recipe I will be using very often in the future. 

Sauerkraut is something I don't eat often enough, especially after finding out just how healthy it is. First of all, it is probiotic which is a big plus for many people who understand the benefits of having good-for-you bacteria in your body. The fermentation process causes this and this helps to strongly aide in gastrointestinal health. Here is a direct quote from Natural News' awesome website touting the magnificent cabbage:

"Cabbage offers a host of health benefits. It is high in vitamins A and C. Studies have shown the cruciferous vegetables can help lower cholesterol levels. Cabbage also provides a rich source of phytonutrient antioxidants. In addition, it has anti-inflammatory properties, and some studies indicate it may help combat some cancers. However, this already helpful vegetable becomes a superfood when it is pickled."

Read more about the amazing benefits and history of sauerkraut and other fermented and pickled vegetables here, at NaturalNews.com. If you are not familiar with that website, I suggest you become so. It offers a wide variety of verified information on health, food, psychology,  environmental concerns, social concerns, and much more. 

Any of these vegetables can easily be steamed and mashed for baby to enjoy along with you and the fam (or any of the other vegetables in this salad!). Beets are very good for babies, and they can eat them as early as 8 months. If you are pregnant, eating sauerkraut right now will help improve your iron and folate intake, and also aide in digestion. 

Now it's your turn to share your Meatless Monday recipe! Please link up any meat-free dish you'd like below. Link as many as you want! Grab a button and spread the word! Thanks for stopping by :)

<a href="http://jessica-healthymommyhealthybaby.blogspot.com/search/label/meatless%20mondays" target="_blank"><img src="<" target="_blank"> />" alt="Healthy Mommy Healthy Baby" width="125" height="125" /></a>