Raw Beet Salad with Spiced Walnuts and Gorgonzola

A lone beet was still waiting; the rest of the bunch had been roasted a few days ago. The sun was shining brightly, the weekend on the horizon, and at least in the house, it is cozy and warm. Made me think of a raw beet salad, with some spring like accents: fresh squeezed orange juice, a dash of black cherry vinegar, fresh candied spicy walnuts and some gorgonzola.

1 raw beet, peeled and grated

1 carrot, peeled and grated

juice of 1 orange, fresh

1 TB black cherry balsamic vinegar

1 TB gorgonzola, crumbled

1 TB spicy candied walnuts (*)

Grate beet and carrot (I used the grating blade in my food processor), and mix. Arrange on a serving plate, and drizzle the orange juice and the balsamic vinegar over the beets. Add gorgonzola and candied walnuts.

(*)Spicy candied walnuts:

1/4 cup walnut halves

1 TB butter

1 TB brown sugar

1/4 ts cayenne pepper or hot chili powder

Chop the walnuts into smaller pieces. Melt the butter in a small skillet on low-medium. Add the brown sugar, and stir, until both the butter is melted and the sugar is mixed in. Add the cayenne and the walnuts, and stir well so that all the walnuts are covered. Continue stirring 1-2 min until you start smelling the walnuts being slightly roasted and the brown sugar caramelized. Take off the stove and stir for about a minute, and cool.