Layered Green Bean and Pickled Carrot Salad

Ingredients:

• 8-10 rainbow carrots (quick pickle recipe below)
• 3-4 cups green beans
• 2 red or golden beets, thinly sliced
• 1b/2 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
• 4 dates, pitted and chopped
• 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
• 1/4 cup unsalted shelled pistachios
• 2-3 Tbsp honey
• Quick Pickled Carrots
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 tsp salt

Preparation:

Quick Pickled Carrots

Thinly slice rainbow carrots into ribbons with a vegetable peeler and place in a plastic freezer bag.

Whisk together the apple cider vinegar, honey and salt and pour over the sliced carrots. Remove all air from the plastic bag and zip it closed. Refrigerate the carrots for at least 30 minutes. The pickled carrots can be refrigerated for up to 4 weeks.

Layered Salad

Blanch the green beans: Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a pot then add the green beans and cook for 2-3 minutes, just until the color of the green beans turns bright green. Immediately transfer the green beans with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice water. The ice water will stop the cooking process right away and the green beans will keep their bright green color.

Place the green beans in the bottom of a large trifle bowl.

Remove the pickled carrots from the liquid and place the carrots on top of the green beans.

Top the carrots with the halved cherry tomatoes and thinly sliced beets.

Sprinkle on the chopped dates, pomegranate seeds and pistachios then drizzle the top with lots of honey.

This salad is delicious when layered right before serving but it’s even better the next day when all of the flavors have time to marry!