Is anyone out there beet-obsessed? If there is one food I just can’t control myself around, it’s beets (and beet greens!)- pans of roasted beets are known to disappear quickly in my house. They are, without a doubt, a can’t-live-without favourite!

The striking crimson of the beet was used to create these beautiful beet-pickled eggs. They’re fairly simple to make: hard- or medium-boil 4 eggs, cool them down, then peel them. Add two small peeled beets, cut in half, to a pot containing 1 cup water, 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp honey and a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then pour the liquid + beets into a bowl or jar. Cool slightly, then add peeled cooked eggs so they are submerged in the liquid. Leave in fridge for ~4-12 hours. This step is not necessary, of course, but fun! You could use plain cooked eggs too.

Another stunner in this salad is the watermelon radish! Home-grown as they’ve proven impossible to find in my local grocery and health food stores. This salad also features home-grown tomatoes and purple Romaine!

The Cobb salad, in my opinion, is open to interpretation. Feel free to add whatever veggies you have on hand – or growing in your backyard!

This salad is topped with one of my favourite dressings- hemp-dill ranch! It’s so simple to make and is eat-by-the-spoon worthy! I’m speaking from experience…. it’s a versatile dressing that would work on a variety of salads or as a veggie dip! Give it a try!

Beet Cobb Salad with Creamy Hemp-Dill Ranch Dressing

Ingredients (Makes 2 large or 4 small servings):
For the salad:
3 cups salad greens of choice (I used purple romaine, though lettuce, arugula, spinach, etc. would all work well!)
3 medium-sized beets, roasted and peeled and sliced into rounds
2 cups green beans, blanched
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup diced cucumber
4-5 sliced radishes
1 avocado, sliced
4 hard- or medium- cooked eggs, quartered

For the hemp-dill ranch dressing:
3/4 cup hemp hearts
3 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 small cloves garlic
1 tbsp. nutritional yeast
1 tsp dried dill
1 tsp onion powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4- 1/2 cup water, to thin

Directions:
1) Prepare eggs. If choosing to do beet-pickled eggs, do this step the day before.
2) Roast beets (or use the pre-cooked beets for a quicker option) and blanch beans.  Slice all veggies.
3) Prepare the dressing. Place all dressing ingredients, except water, into a blender. Add water, a little at a time, and blend until smooth. I used the full 1/2 cup of water. Feel free to add a little more for a thinner consistency.
4) Serve! Divide veggies into portions. Top with sliced eggs and ranch dressing.