Try a healthy beet salad

Candy striped chioga beets are an excellent source of potassium, magnesium, phosphorous, iron, vitamin A, B and C – they also help purify the blood and prevent some cancers. Eating them raw gives them great texture when sliced thin and tossed with Central Coast Creamery’s Goat Gouda and Kumquats and Basil. This is a beautiful spring salad and a little goes a long way; it would also be a great side to roasted chicken. 

Candy Striped Beet Salad

1 large or 3 small Chioga Candy Striped beets or any beets, sliced on a slicer or mandoline and then sliced again so they are similar to the shape of a spaghetti noodle.

½ cup Central Coast Creamery Goat Gouda cheese, shredded (Vivant Fine Cheese in Paso Robles sells this)

½ cup white wine vinegar or Champagne vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

6-10 leaves of basil

5-6 kumquats, sliced thin then placed in boiling water for 3 minutes and cooled

Toss all ingredients together and serve immediately.

Kelly Wangard - Executive Chef at Summerwood Winery & Inn, Paso Robles