Beet and Honey Chevre Salad with Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette

Honey flavored goat cheese was one of our finds at Fairway tonight. After a weekend of skiing and eating healthy, balanced out by a healthy serving of LOTS OF CHEESE, I'm back on a cheese kick. I kind of forgot about it for a while. Great. Just when I thought I was gonna lose some weight!

We had some fatty butter-drenched chive gnocchi that we found tonight, as well. One the side, I made a salad using the goat cheese, some pre-cooked beets, walnuts for protein crunch, and a vinaigrette featuring lemon to balance the oiliness of the heavy gnocchi.  We're looking forward to the leftovers of the salad, but I'm not sure how quickly the gnocchi will go away.

Beet and Honey Chevre Salad with Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette

Baby Spinach

Pre-cooked beets, sliced

Honey flavored chevre (goat cheese)

Walnuts, toasted

Dressing:

Juice of 1 lemon (about 1/4C)

4 large basil leaves

Olive Oil (about 1/4C)

Pinch of sea salt (preferably Grey Salt)

Pinch of black pepper

1/2 tsp Dijon Mustard

Prepare dressing by placing lemon juice and basil in a small chopper or food processor. Pulse to chop the basil finely. Add olive oil in an equal amount to the lemon, as well as salt, pepper and mustard. Pulse to blend. Taste and add more oil if needed, and blend again.

Layer spinach, beets, teaspoons of goat cheese and walnuts, and top with dressing.