Warm Quinoa Salad with Crispy Beets and Seared Oranges

Ingredients
1 cup dry  quinoa
salad greens of choice: lettuce, spinach, massaged kale
1 lb beets, cooked
1 orange: navel, cara cara, or blood
1/4 cup walnuts, hazelnuts, or sunflower seeds, toasted
Parmesan cheese, freshly grated or thinly shaved

Dressing:
Juice of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 clementine
1 tsp dijon mustard
3 walnuts, toasted
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, approx

 Instructions
Cook quinoa according to package directions. 

Steam beets. I use an instant pot, but you can also steam them on the stovetop until tender. In the instant pot: add the steaming rack and put about an inch of water in the bottom of the pot. Add the whole beets. No need to trim or thoroughly clean them. Seal the pot, close the vent, and cook on high pressure for 22-26 minutes depending on the size of your beets. After the beets have cooled, you can trim off the root and leaf ends, and the skins will easily slip off.  

Make salad dressing by combining all ingredients except olive oil in a blender and pulsing a few times until nuts are ground and ingredients are blended. We like to use a stick blender in a mason jar, but a regular blender works fine too. Slowly add olive oil in a stream as you blend, so the dressing emulsifies. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste, add more oil if needed.

Peel whole oranges, then cut them into rounds 1/2 inch thick. Heat dry cast iron skillet over high heat to smoking. Sear oranges on one side for approximately 1 minute, until blackened. Remove from pan.

Turn heat down to medium and allow pan to cool for a few minutes. Add a layer of bacon fat, lard, or other high heat cooking oil. 

Slice beets approximately 3/4 inch thick, then smash with a flat object (skillet, wooden spoon, jar) until they crack and flatten a bit. Place in pan and fry for approximately 4 minutes, until crispy and brown. Flip and crisp other side. 

Assemble all salad ingredients and top with dressing, parmesan, and toasted nuts.