Roasted Beet Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

1. Arrange rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400°F.
2. Remove tops from beets, if any, and scrub the beets clean.
3. Wrap each beet in aluminum foil.
4. Place the wrapped beets on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 50-60 minutes until the beets are tender and you can insert a sharp knife easily into the middle of the beet.*
5. While the beets are roasting, prepare the vinaigrette. In a jar with a lid, add the vinegar, olive oil, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and shake vigorously to combine.
6. Remove the beets from the oven and allow them to cool enough so that you can handle them, but still warm.
7. Once they can be handled, peel the beets. An easy way to do this is using a paper towel in your hands and simply slipping the skin off. The paper towel will provide some grip.
8. Slice the warm beets into 1/2 slices and cut again so that the slices are more bite-sized.
9. In a large bowl toss the beets with enough vinaigrette to moisten them. Add salt and pepper to taste.
10. In a separate bowl toss your greens with enough vinaigrette to moisten. Add salt and pepper to taste.
11. Place your dressed greens in a serving bowl and top with the beets, walnuts, and feta (optional) and serve.

*If you want to cut down on your cooking time, remove the beet skin with a vegetable peeler, cut the beets into 1″ chunks and roast for about 30-35 minutes on a parchment lined backing sheet until fork tender.