Grilled beet and brussel sprouts salad with miso-ginger dressing

It’s friday and Fiesta Friday 37, the virtual party has started in Angie’s place. I’m glad I’m not late this week, I have something to bring today!

Something simple, exotic and delicious. Even those who hate beets will love this salad. Thank you, Angie and co-hosts, Julianna and Hilda for this week’s party. I hope you like it too. This is another entry of mine in VVLP #15 in Annie’s blog, An Unrefined Vegan.

For a while I had been looking for miso or fermented soy bean paste and recently found it at Trader Joe’s. It is a superfood, packed with protein and is packed with antioxidants and minerals. Look for complete information here.

Miso paste, even the mild one, is pungent and has to be used in combination with other flavors to tone it down. The most common that I have seen is using it with lime juice. This makes a perfect acidic marinade. Here’s my first trial with the miso paste as a marinade and dressing.

After marinating sliced and softened beets in it, I used the remaining marinade (with some garlic powder and olive oil) as a dressing for the same salad and even another salad that I made the next day!

What about the Brussel sprouts? Well, I just had some lying around in the fridge, so roasted it and tossed it in! You could use any salad leaves in its place.

Grilled beet and Brussel sprout salad with miso-ginger dressing

• Servings: 3
• Time: marinating time + 20 minutes
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Ingredients:

organic beets- 2 medium

Brussel sprouts- 8-10

green onions- 3

roasted sunflower seeds- 1 tbsp.

canola oil- 1 tbsp.

extra virgin olive oil- 1 tbsp.

garlic powder- 1/4 tsp.

for marinade

mild yellow miso- 1 tbsp.

juice of 1 lime

red chilly flakes- a pinch

grated ginger- 1 tsp.

ground black pepper- 1/4 tsp.

turmeric powder- a pinch

 Method:

* Cut beets in half and cook (with skin) in a closed pan with a tablespoon of water. When they are tender, peel and cut into slices.

* Prepare marinade by mixing all the ingredients above. Place beets in a glass container, pour the marinade over it, close with lid and store in the fridge for 12-20 hours.

* Place beets in a single layer in a grill/ panini maker and grill for 8-10 minutes.

* Chop Brussel sprouts and roast in canola oil in a heated pan. Add salt and turmeric, cook with lid on, till tender.

* Take grilled beets in a bowl, add Brussel sprouts, chopped green onions (white portion). Add some garlic powder and extra virgin live oil to the remaining marinade and add to salad if desired.

* Enjoy salad with some roasted sunflower seeds. The salad tastes even better after sitting for few hours on the table!