This warm beet and arugula salad is a simple, nourishing dish that my family and friends always love. Beets offer a naturally sweet, earthy flavor and a deep red color that hints at their restorative power. Traditionally, beets are known for supporting the blood and helping to keep the liver clear and strong.
Anything you do to support your liver supports your overall health. Simple daily choices such as limiting alcohol and refined sugar, moving your body regularly, cooking with spices like turmeric, and using healthy fats such as pure cold-pressed olive oil or ghee can make a meaningful difference. Eating meals at regular times and aiming to be in bed by 10 pm further supports the liver, digestion and the body’s natural rhythms.
In Ayurveda, many imbalances are traced back to weakened digestion, with the liver playing a central role as it is the “seat of digestion”. When digestion is impacted, decline in health soon follows, so it is very important to care for your liver. In modern life, food sensitivities, rising rates of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and other chronic conditions highlight just how important liver care has become. The liver is a true powerhouse, involved in over 500 vital functions including metabolism, digestion, detoxification, immunity, and vitamin storage. It filters nearly 1.7 liters of blood every minute and produces up to one liter of bile each day—essential for breaking down fats and keeping digestion flowing smoothly. This dish is a gentle, seasonal way to nourish that process and bring warmth, color, and vitality to your table.
Beet & Arugula Salad with Lime-Orange Dressing topped with Honey Toasted Nuts & Seeds
Beet and Arugula Salad
Yields: 2 - 3 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
ingredients
3-4 medium size beets, peeled and cut into bite size pieces
1-2 tsps olive oil for cooking
1 cup of water, enough to cover the beets for cooking
1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary, or 1 tsp dried
½ tsp ground fennel
½ tsp ground coriander
A pinch or two of turmeric powder
A handful or two of fresh arugula, also known as rocket
Dressing:
Put all ingredients in a jar and shake.
¼ cup olive oil
1 Tablespoon fresh lime
1 tsp fresh tangerine juice
1 tsp rosemary or thyme or ⅓ tsp dried
½ tsp maple syrup
A pinch of ground mustard seeds
Few turns of fresh ground pepper
Dash of natural salt
INSTRUCTIONS
Make the dressing and set aside.
Heat the olive oil or ghee in a medium size pot on medium, then add spices and rosemary.
When the aroma of spices are released, add beets and stir, then add water.
Turn heat up to high for beets to boil a couple of minutes.
Turn heat down to low, cover with a lid, and cook for another 15 minutes, until beets are tender.
Plating - lay the arugula in a bowl or dish, add the cooked beets on top to wilt the arugula. Top with dressing.
Serve warm or room temperature.
Enjoy!
Ayurvedic Profile of Spices
Black peppercorn - heating; opens up channels
Fennel - balancing effect on digestion— balances heat of pitta dosha or stimulates digestive fire
Coriander - balancing and cooling to the physiology; buffers acidity; removes heavy metals and toxins
Mustard seeds - very heating effect; increases pitta dosha, so limit if you have high pitta, especially in summer months; aggravates high pachaka pitta with low kledaka kapha in the stomach; source of antioxidants
Rosemary - mildly heating, not aggravating to pitta dosha, with a sweetness; enhances cellular metabolism (dehagni) helping connect heart and mind; a rich source of antioxidants
Turmeric - cleans the liver, known as “a friend to the liver” in Ayurveda; anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-viral properties
References
The Liver
Global Incidence and Prevalence of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Hi I'm Evangeline!Welcome to my blog. I’m a mom, an Ayurveda & Yoga Counsellor, Certified SVA Detox Educator, and Registered Massage Therapist. I began this blog during the early days of covid19 to stay connected with my clients. Here I share nourishing recipes I cook for family and friends, along with health tips and ayurveda and yoga wisdom to support balance, health, and vitality in everyday life. I hope you find something here that benefits you and your loved ones.
