My problem on weekends is that I tend to sleep in until after noon and then half the day is already gone! Plus, then I end up not being able to fall asleep until very late on Sunday night, which makes it hard to get up on Monday morning. But, I struggle to change this habit for two reasons, 1.) maybe my body just needs the sleep? and 2.) I better enjoy it now because I’m sure I won’t be able to sleep in after we have kiddos! I’ve decided middle ground may be the way to go and got up by 10:30 both mornings this weekend. I was super productive and ran a bunch of errands and assembled my DIY light box!
I can’t believe I didn’t get around to putting this light box together earlier! My hubby bought the lights months ago when he volunteered to make my light box, but when I learned of his grand plans to use PVC pipe and curtains to make a huge lighting studio, I realized things had gotten a bit out of control. I found this site and made a cheap version myself. I’m still playing around with it, but it’s nice to finally feel like a real food blogger!
I also made this lovely salad this weekend. The flavors were inspired by the Salad of Hiramasa Sashimi course we had at our anniversary dinner at Craigie on Main. I made a caramelized shallot vinaigrette that I mixed with spinach, roasted beets, mango, avocado, and toasted pine nuts. I don’t make “fancy” salads very often at home, but I think this one is worth taking a few extra minutes to assemble! It was also my first time roasting beets and I can’t believe I haven’t done it before.
Roasted Beet, Mango, and Avocado Spinach Salad
Printable Recipe
Ingredients:
1 large beet, scrubbed
1 cup chopped mango
1/2 avocado, chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon apricot jam
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups packed fresh spinach leaves
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400˚F. Wrap beet in aluminum foil, place on a baking sheet, and roast in the oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until tender. Let cool for 10 minutes, then peel and slice into chunks.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat and sauté shallots for 7 to 10 minutes or until caramelized. Cool to room temperature and whisk in remaining tablespoon olive oil, red wine vinegar, apricot jam, and salt.
Toss spinach leaves with vinaigrette, roasted beets, mango, and avocado, and top with toasted pine nuts. Makes 2 servings.
Nutrition: 435 calories, 32.3g fat, 7.6g fiber, 6.5g protein per serving
Cost: $2.01 per serving
Cake, Batter, and Bowl features my original recipes for quick, healthy, and inexpensive weeknight meals and indulgent weekend treats. Enjoy!
Your recipes and photos made you a real food blogger before the light box. They are all gorgeous and your food is fantastic. This salad looks downright delicious with the mango and beet. I adore beets! Love the apricot jam in the dressing.
Lovely salad – I love the idea of combining beets and mango! Neat light box!
Very colorful salad! I’m impressed w. your light box – I’m showing Michael! (he’s the photographer of the duo
Very yummy recipe. I love roasted beets, definitely worth the trouble. Thanks for the reminder on the light box. I so need to make one and keep putting it off.
I wish i had a light box, grt idea, loved the salad, so healthy!
This is such a beautiful salad and photo! Your light studio is awesome! Can’t wait to build one someday when we have a little more space
I’ve never roasted beets before either!
Lovely salad. Great job on the photo box, what lights did you use?
I too love my sleep, that may be why I stay up so late every night!
The colors in the salad are so pretty and vibrant- love it!
absolutely delicious!!! and i love your light box, i’m off to read that post!
when we do lunch, you can bring the salad
sorry i haven’t emailed back, but i think it should work for next week!
Your picture of the salad is AMAZING!!!! Nice job!
I love the mix of ingredients in the salad – some sweet and some savory. Yay! For the lightbox! Your picture is gorgeous. Maybe some day I’ll get around to making myself one.
I love your photos and recipes!!! And I wanna make a light box like that myself but I can’t find any time to do it..
Kerstin, I thought only my sister like to sleep until half the day is gone on the weekend. And she has two kids, but somehow her sweet husband and the kids are really understand.
Anyway, the photo look really really good Kerstin. I ‘ll go and check out the link. Maybe I can do the same to improve mine.
Salad looks delicious!
I can relate to your sleeping dilemma. I go through phases. Sometimes I am good about waking up early and being productive and other times I could sleep all day. I love the sound of that salad. It sounds like a great balance of savory and sweet. I am also super impressed with the lightbox. My boyfriend bought me one off of Amazon but yours looks every bit as good. What kind of lights do you use? That seems to be key.
What a lovely & excellent salad!! The picture turned out great! Well done! You did a great DIY job!
Kerstin, I made a similar lightbox at home as well (well, technically the hubbs did it for me, but whatever
). I’m working out the kinks though. Very excited abt it, as I know u are too!! Yayyyy, we’re both one step closer to those fab food photos we see on other blogs we both admire 
… Btw, u don’t need a lot of help, your pics are extremely droolworthy. Especially this salad, which has all my fav things in it!
Thanks everyone! I think the light box makes a huge difference, my picture actually got on foodgawker – yay! We already threw the boxes away that the lights came in, but my hubby says they are fluorescent bulbs with no mercury that are daylight spectrum.
Love the salad. I love beets. This looks lovely. And your light box looks great!!
Wow Kerstin, you’re going all professionla food blogger! I wish I had a lightbox, too! how freaking cool is that? I wonder if you can lug that to restaurants, too…hahahaha!
and the salad looks awesome with all those brilliant colors!
That light box is SUCH a good idea!!! Way to go! I need to rig something up.
I LOVE anything with avocado, mango, AND beets, so this is pretty much my dream salad!
Gorgeous salad! It looks super delicious and your photographs are beautiful. I’m jealous of the lightbox
. I have yet to make one. Maybe one of these days. Have a great weekend!
The salad looks delicious. Congrats on the light box! The pictures are gorgeous.
You’re so a real food blogger already! But i know what you mean, the toys make it seem more legit!
Yay, avocado!! Great minds!
I am so impressed with your lightbox! Your salad, too, is absolutely incredible – so many of my favorite ingredients all together! I love how you paired the deep flavors of the beets and the avocado with the lightness of the spinach… Gorgeous!
Wow! You got a light box! It really makes pictures look nice, ya?
Love the salad…
Your salad is so colorful! I love to make mango and avocado sald. However, I have never tried roasted beets. And I love your light box!
I wish I had been so sorted out before I had kids Kerstin. Now theres never time for sleep LOL! Love the light box & love the salad. Great flavours in there…yum & healthy too!
Mmm, salads are hands down my favorite meal! This one looks great.
Yay for do it yourself light boxes!
Happy 4th!
~ingrid
So cool that you made a light box! We should too, right now we use a desk lamp.
Lovely salad, I am a huge fan of beets.
Your salad sounds very delicious. Neat light box.
I am so jealous of your light box! How cool!
Thanks for the light box tutorial. Need to make one, though I might have a big problem finding space to put it….:-)