Roasted Sweet Potato and Onion Salad with Steak

The original recipe for this salad calls for white wine vinegar, honey, and molasses. My version uses apple cider vinegar and dates for sweetness, along with the orange juice. This was originally intended to be served on top of arugula, but my fresh beet greens were just begging to be used. It was a great combination, but you can use what you have on hand. Kale or spinach would be great, or serve it over arugula or mixed greens. It's sweet and yummy!

Adapted from foodandwine.com.

Serves 3-4.


Ingredients
2 sweet potatoes, peeled, quartered lengthwise, and cut into 1/2 inch slices
4 small yellow onions, cut crosswise into 1/2 inch slices
1 Tbsp coconut oil (or olive oil)
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar, divided (I use Bragg.)
1/4 cup pitted dates, finely chopped (about 6)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
pinch of ground red pepper
2 garlic cloves, sliced thin
3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1-2 large bunches beet greens (or kale or spinach), roughly chopped
3-4 of your favorite steaks

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Melt coconut oil in a rimmed baking sheet. Carefully remove from oven and add potatoes and thyme. Gently toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 30 minutes, turn potatoes, and continue to cook until soft, approximately 30 more minutes. Remove from oven; keep warm.
3. Warm 2 Tbsp olive oil in a cast-iron or other heavy skillet over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp cider vinegar. Place onions in skillet and brown, without turning them, for about 20 minutes. Turn onions and let brown for an additional 20 minutes or until soft. Transfer onions to a plate and reserve any liquid in skillet (there won't be much).
4. Season steaks with salt and pepper and grill over medium high heat to your desired degree of doneness. Remove from heat, tent with foil, and let rest while you finish preparing the salad.
5. In the meantime, warm 3 Tbsp olive oil in a small saucepan. Add garlic and cook until golden. Remove garlic from oil. Add orange juice, cumin, red pepper, dates, and 1 Tbsp vinegar and simmer 5 minutes, returning garlic to saucepan for the last 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Saute greens in pan liquid, adding a little olive oil, if needed. When they are barely wilted, add sweet potatoes, onions, and dressing. Toss gently to coat. Saute over low heat for 2-3 minutes or until warmed through.
7. To serve, divide mixture evenly among plates. Serve with steak or your favorite protein.