Beet and Fennel Salad

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place beets in a 9 x 9 inch pan and drizzle approximately 2 tablespoons olive oil over the beets. Roast until tender, approximately 1 hour. Allow to cool, then peel and slice into quarters, cubes, or slices.

2. Place the cooled beets, fennel slices, orange slices, and pecans (or other nuts) together in a bowl.

3. Make the dressing by whisking the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and orange juice together. Pour over the salad and mix. Add feta or blue cheese to taste.

(Optional: You can serve the salad on a bed of arugula, or toss it with the arugula.)

As a variation, you can quarter the head of fennel, drizzle with oil, and roast in a 400-degree oven for 40 minutes, flipping the quarters over halfway through before slicing and adding to the beets. I haven’t tried this yet, but it sounds like it would be tasty.