[Food Series] Roasted Beet Salad with Walnuts and Gorgonzola

I was introduced to this flavor-packed beet salad many, many years ago by a dear friend and it has become a star dish in my repertoire. Throughout the years, this easy and nutritious beet salad has turned even the most avid beet haters into beet believers, including my husband! It is such a versatile dish that you can serve it at a fancy dinner party or bring it along on a camping trip (both of which I have done numerous times!)

Roasted Beet Salad with Walnuts and Gorgonzola
Roasted Beet Salad with Walnuts and Gorgonzola
Ingredients
1 Bunch of Beets (any color, but red are sweetest)
1/3 cup of Gorgonzola Cheese
1/3 cup of raw Walnuts
Arugula
2 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Cracked Black Pepper
Remove the skin from your cooled, roasted beets, chop into 1/2 inch cubes and place into a bowl. Add the crumbled Gorgonzola Cheese, chopped walnuts, Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil and finish off with a touch of cracked black pepper. Toss and serve over a bed of arugula! It literally takes 5 minutes!
Beet Preparation:
Roasted: For roasted beets, I preheat my oven to 400 degrees, individually wrap my medium-sized beets in aluminum foil and place in the oven for about 45 minutes, turning occasionally until they are nice and tender. Check by sticking a fork easily through your beet. I use a paper towel to remove the skin. This is definitely my preferred method of cooking beets because it really highlights its rich, sweet flavor while holding all of its nutrition!
Boiled: You can also boil your beets. Stick them in a pot of boiling water, cover and cook on medium heat for 30-45 minutes or until they are tender enough to stick a fork easily through. When cool, use a paper towel to remove the skin.
Pre-made: If you don’t have time to cook beets and you live near a Trader Joe’s, they sell plain, boiled beets in their refrigerated section! I’ve done this when in a rush! Just open the package, rinse and cut!

Operation: Camping Checklist! Check!

In a constantly evolving effort to be more efficient when on family camping trips, I decided that it was time to sit down and take inventory of what is actually in those disastrous camping bins of ours! First, I reorganized them, then I made an inventory list. I’m not a list-maker by nature (or even a frequent user of the word “inventory” for that matter), or at least I wasn’t before I became a mother (haha), but when you’re out in the middle of nowhere with a toddler, it never hurts to be extra prepared!

toddler hiking
Exploring the Limekiln River in Big Sur, California

So, in anticipation of our Sequoia camping trip next month, I sat down and created a packing list for our camping bins! We have been using the bin system for a few years now. It definitely cuts down on our packing time and we are less prone to forget the little things! Most of the items in our bins are permanent bin fixtures. When we get home, they get cleaned and put back into the bin, so they are ready to go for the next trip!

Psst, want to know another way to make camping even easier?! Rent camping and backpacking gear, delivered to your door. Free shipping and returns. Full Kelty camping kits from GetOutfitted.com start at $18 per day. Doesn’t get easier than that!

Side Note: This bin list is catered to car camping where you have easy access from your tent and campsite to your car.

Camping Bin #1

This is what I lovingly refer to as the kitchen sink. It contains all of the necessities to prepare and cook our meals and a few other essentials.

Camping Bin #2

This holds all of the necessary tools for seeing, burning and cleaning.

The Kid Bin

A must have for any camping family because even though you are out in nature with so much to discover and explore, kids still get bored. I have also found it to be comforting for our two year old to bring a few of her favorite toys along.

toddler playing with bubbles camping
Bubbles!

Make Ahead Camping Meals

I also plan our meal menu ahead. I have found this to be the most economical and efficient way to do things. We used to just go the the store on our way out of town and we would end up spending TOO much and usually only use HALF of what we bought. Planning and prepping everything before we leave means, saving money, less work at the campground and more time relaxing and exploring!

toddler sitting in the woods
A little down time…

I buy a box of the gallon Ziploc freezer bags and use them for all kinds of prep like marinating the meats, filling them with pre-chopped veggies to roast over the fire or make-ahead salads that only needs to be dressed when it’s time to eat. I also love to make easy-to-grab, finger food lunches like quiche and zucchini fritters, perfect to throw in the backpack and eat on the trail!

What are your camping bin essentials? Your must-have make-ahead meals?

[Food Series] Green Beans in Olive Oil (Zeytinyağlı Taze Fasulye)

The Turkish cuisine has so many fresh, healthy summertime dishes and there’s nothing like chilled green beans in olive oil (Zeytinyağlı Taze Fasulye) to remind me of the warm breezes of the Mediterranean. This dish is so incredibly easy to make ahead and nibble on throughout the week! It’s the perfect side dish or can shine as the star of the meal.

turkish cuisine
Green Beans in Olive Oil (Zeytinagli Taze Fasulye)

Ingredients:
1 pound of green beans
1 tomato
1 clove of garlic
4 green onions
1/3 cup of olive oil
1/3 cup of water
salt and pepper to taste

Prepare your green beans by trimming their tips. Finely chop the green onions (tender green tops included) and toss them into your pot with half of the olive oil and some salt and pepper for two minutes. Add the finely minced garlic to the pot and saute for another minute. Add the finely diced tomato to your pot and let it simmer for another 2 minutes. Finally add the green beans, the rest of the olive oil, a touch more salt and pepper and the water to the pot and stir. Turn the flame down to medium low, cover and go have a glass of wine! It should take about 20 minutes to cook. Don’t stir too often, but a couple of times throughout is fine. This dish best served chilled and is really yummy with Cold Cucumber and Yogurt Soup (Cacık)! A great way to stay cool in the summer!