HG SUPLY CO. Part II

Those of you who know me well, know that I have an odd obsession with beets (I love the earthy flavor they deliver) so when I saw HG's ROASTED BEET SALAD I was committed (that and the green goddess dressing, oh and the szechuan pecans.)  I added chicken and called it a day.  Once we got back to the hotel I had worked up an appetite from all my excitement and dived into my salad, which might I add was packaged wonderfully.

Salad in one, chicken in the other, dressing on the side.  Salads can get a bad rep, some think in order for them to be good you have to add a lot of stuff.  This (and all of HG's salads) are examples of how that doesn't have to be the case. My first bite was delightful.  The butter lettuce was the perfect base.  The beets were roasted to perfection\, fully debuting their earthy flavors and the subtle heat of the szechuan pecans perfectly balanced the creaminess of the green goddess dressing.  There were three components from this salad that really stood out to me.  The first was the szechuan pecans. They were absolutely delicious, perfect balance of heat with a slight hint of sweetness and added wonderful texture.  The second was the chicken.  It had something to do with the seasoning, I couldn't put my finger on it but I think it may have been the pepper they used.  It was perfect.  More to come on this, as I have emailed them to ask :) The third was the green goddess dressing.  I was hesitant as I'm not the biggest fan of creamy dressings but since discovering paleo mayo I've become more open minded.  It was perfection.  Perfectly complementing the slight heat of the pecans and the sweetness of the roasted beets.  As I shoved the last bite into my mouth I knew I had to learn how to recreate this recipe and that's what I did.  As soon as my plane touched done in Nashville we were off to Whole Foods to gather up the ingredients to make this delightful salad.  It wasn't as perfect as HG's but it was pretty darn close.  

Hacked HG SUPLY CO. Roasted Beet Salad

1 head of butter lettuce, washed, dried and then torn 

3 beets (I got two red and one yellow) 

Handful of whole pecans

1t of siracha chili sauce

2t of organic, coconut palm sugar

1lb of chicken breast or tenders

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Rinse beets well under water.  Place eat beet on a square of tin foil with a dollop of coconut oil, twist tin foil ends closed and place beets on a cookie sheet lined with tin foil so they don't leak in your oven like mine did :) Place beets in oven for 45-60 mins.  If you're impatient or in a time crunch at the 45 minute mark if they're soft enough you can take them out.  Let cool and then use tin foil to wipe away the skin of the beet.  Slice beets and let chill in fridge.  

While beets are roasting, pan fry some bacon, chop and put to side.  

I used a handful of pecans-all I had on hand were the chopped variety (HG used whole.) Toss them in a dry pan and add about 1-2t of organic palm sugar.  Once that starts to melt down add the 1t of siracha, mixing to coat the pecans evenly.  Once the sugar starts to break down it's just a matter of how caramelized you want them.  Let cool on a plate until you start to build your salad.  

When you make your dressing verses your chicken will depend on if you want a cold or warm salad.  I opted for a cold salad, making my chicken after the pecans.  Be sure to salt and pepper chicken, add just a little dab of coconut oil and cook until done.  Take chicken from pan, let stand for a few minutes so the chicken is cool enough for you to slice into pieces.  

Place torn lettuce pieces in vessel of your choice.  Add beets, a few pecans, bacon and chicken pieces.  

Paleo Goddess Dressing review (AKA the best dressing ever) recipe via Preppy Paleo 

2 tbs. sesame oil
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup tahini
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup water
3 tbs. toasted sesame seeds *Didn't have any on hand, omitted 
3 tbs. chopped green onions *Didn't have any on hand, omitted
small handful parsley *Didn't have, subbed fresh cilantro 
juice of 1/2 lemon (about 2 tbs.) *Used organic lemon juice not fresh 
1 tsp. coconut aminos or gluten-free tamari
2 minced garlic cloves
salt & pepper, to taste
Blend all ingredients well, either in a blender (for a smooth texture) or with a whisk. *I used my mini food processor and it worked well.  

I cannot say enough things about this recipe! It's full of flavor and could easily be used to compliment steak or used in a chicken salad..I will have to play with the proportions and let you know!   It does yield a good amount so just be sure to store in an air tight container.  It's our new obsession! 

Enjoy!