This is a salad I learned to make in Israel. Most recipes from Israel are either eastern European in origin, or middle eastern, and this belongs to the former. In Israel there are hundreds of ways to prepare beets, and thousands of ways to prepare eggplant. This salad lands on the sweet side of the spectrum.

6 good sized beets
2 apples
1 Cup walnuts
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 fresh lemon
salt to taste

Cook beets in the skin. Remove beets from pan and reserve cooking water for borscht. Run beets under cold water and slip skins off. Chop beets into cubes on cutting board – plastic cutting board is good because a lot of red beet juice will soak into your wooden cutting board. (It can be removed with a good scrub.)

Cube apples and chop walnuts. Mix together with beets, add lemon juice, olive oil and salt (lemon and olive oil and salt is the ubiquitous middle eastern dressing). Chill and serve!

BONUS RECIPE: Borscht

Also in Israel, Borscht is served as a cold drink, not just a soup.

Take the reserved cooking water from your beets, mix in juice of 2 lemons and 1/4 cup of sugar. The juice will take on a bright red color. Chill and serve as refreshing drink.

Garnish: Often sour cream is added to this. I like it as is, but it is possible to add a vegan tofu sour cream and whip in with whisk.