Beet Salad with Arugula and Balsamic Vinaigrette

1. If you don’t have an instant pot yet: Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Line the bottom of a medium rimmed baking sheet with foil. Wrap each beat in a sheet of foil, wrapping tightly to seal and arrange the beets on the lined baking sheet. Bake in a preheated oven for 1 hour or until largest beet is easily pierced. Remove from oven, unwrap and allow them to cool to room temperature then peel the skins (see Pro Tip Below) and slice into halves and then wedges. Pro Tip: Peeling cooked beets is easy with a pair of gloves to keep your hands clean. They peel right off. I also slice off the root end to discard any part of the beet that was touching foil. Instant Pot: trim tops from the beets and cook on High Pressure for 18 minutes with 1 cup of water for medium sized beets.
2. Toast 1/2 cup pecans on a dry skillet, tossing frequently until golden and fragrant. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
3. Transfer the arugula to a large mixing bowl then add remaining salad ingredients: sliced beets, 1/2 cup feta cheese, 1/2 cup toasted pecans and 1/2 cup dried cranberries.

Balsamic Vinaigrette:
In a mason jar, combine all dressing ingredients (1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 pressed garlic clove, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper) and shake well to combine and add to the salad to taste. If not serving salad right away, shake the dressing again just before drizzling over the salad.