Raw Beet and Shaved Fennel Salad

The changing of seasons inspired this raw beet and shaved fennel salad. As spring is quickly approaching, I’m growing tired of the warm foods that have sustained us through the winter. We’re still enjoying some delicious soups on those cold days, but I spent the majority of yesterday afternoon enjoying the sun. I started seedlings and tended to the small amount of greens that are just now emerging in the garden. I felt awake and like the energy of a new season is beginning to rise and build, a feeling that called for an equally as energetic salad.

Beets and fennel are two of my favorite vegetables. Both provide you with a flavor profile unlike any other food, creating a beautifully colored and tasty creation. While beets aren’t a vegetable that you would typically eat raw, I absolutely love the flavor when they’re cut into very thin slices or grated as I did in this salad. I blogged about the health benefits of beets in an earlier post, so you’re already aware that eating these scrumptious little roots in their raw form preserves many of the liver-supporting properties. Combine that sweet and gorgeous goodness from the beets with the delicate crunch of fennel and hints of sweet orange, and you have an amazing salad to awaken the body and usher in a new spring.