Nothing Beats Roasted Beets

Maybe it's the "tree-hugging hippy" inside of me but I love the earthy taste of beets. They're delicious and fresh. Unfortunately, beets have one major downfall: they're messy. Because of they stain, some people avoid cooking with them (which is a major shame since beets are one of the most delicious vegetables out there). I can understand the average chef's aversion to beets; I too hate peeling them because my hands and clothes get stained. Solution? Grate them (peel and all) then toss them into a salad; it will cut down on the mess factor. My grandma likes to boil them (she wears gloves) and toss them on top of a mango spinach salad or eat them on their own with olive oil and cracked pepper.

Beet season runs from June through October. However, you can readily find them at most produce stores in Vancouver during the winter months. They are high in potassium, fibre, vitamin C and 1 cup of beets has 10% of your daily recommended iron.

It wasn't until I was talking to my friend Liz that I even considered roasting Beets. She suggested I roasting them with herbs and garlic as a delicious side dish. And so I did!

Ingredients

• Beets (depends on your portion size. I usually cook four at a time)
• 2 Garlic cloves
• olive oil
• dried rosemary

Directions

Using gloves, peel the beets first then cut them into thick slices. In a bowl, lightly sprinkle approximately 1tbsp of olive oil, 2 tbsp of chopped rosemary, two chopped up garlic gloves and a dash of salt. Stir it all around.

Place your seasoned beets onto a baking sheet and roast them in the oven at 400 degrees for 45minutes to 1 hour. Check with a fork to make sure they're tender before taking them out. Serve this delicious side dish piping hot! (although that's not necessary)

Instead of rosemary, try parsley.