ROASTED BEETS AND CARROTS

                                                                     Prep time: 60 minutes                                                                           

                                                              Active prep time: 15 minutes                                                               

                                                    Special equipment needed: None                                                   

                                                              Special skills needed: None                                                               

Serves 4 as a side

Beets are one of my favorite vegetables.  I like them pickled, roasted, or boiled.  I enjoy them alone, in soups, or in salads.  I even once had them ground, formed into a patty, and served on a bun with peanut butter and jalapenos like some M.C. Escher take on a hamburger.  They are truly a super food, packed with anti-oxidants.  Beets are also loaded with fiber, magnesium, vitamin C, iron, and vitamin B6.  They have notable anti-inflammatory benefits as well.  Full disclosure, they might turn your urine pink, but that is a harmless side effect.  Try these roasted beets beside your next grilled fish fillet for an almost ideal combination of fat, carbs, and protein.  You’ll feel great after a meal of fish and these micronutrient rich vegetables.  The colors are appealing too.   Beats come in purple, yellow, and even candy cane (red and white swirled together).

Tip:  some people complain that beets are a little too earthy (read that as; sometimes beets taste a little like dirt).  I happen to like that earthiness.  If you don’t, try yellow beets instead of the purple ones or mix the two types.  Yellow beets are milder.

INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs beets – Any combination of colors, peeled and chopped or cut into slivers

1 lb carrots – Any combination of colors, peeled and chopped or cut into slivers

1 Large Onion – Diced

2 Tablespoons Olive oil

2 Tablespoons fresh Thyme

1 teaspoon fresh Rosemary

1 teaspoon fresh Cracked Pepper

Salt to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, add all the ingredients and toss until they are mixed well and the vegetables are thoroughly coated with the oil.  

Pour everything into a sheet pan or 9 X 13” baking dish.  I prefer a large sheet pan so that they spread out into a thin even layer.  This helps them cook more evenly.  Bake for about 45 minutes, tossing them once in the middle.  The time will vary depending on how thick you cut the vegetables.  They are done when the largest pieces are easily pierced with a fork.