Beet It!

Growing up, I hated beets.

And rightfully so.  My kind, sweet mother would feed us those horrid little suckers right out of the can or she would boil them even further.  The result was a nasty, tinny glob of redness that would have me sitting at the table praying that the dog would move just a bit closer so I could drop them to the floor.  Then again, even my pup had taste.

It wasn't until I had done growed up that I realized how delicious these ruby colored bulbs of joy could be.  Sweet and slightly earthy tasting, beets are great to added to a salad, used as a star ingredient in a soup, or roasted up as the main event.

Since you're going meatless anyway, why not try roasting up some fresh beets tonight...

Roasted Beets with Pistachio, Blueberry and Rosemary Pesto

So yummy.  So good for you, too!

This bright "pesto" is a great pairing with the beets.  Try serving with sauteed beet greens or a simple arugula salad with balsamic to make it a meal.


1 1/2 lbs beets
1/4 cup pistachios
3 oz dried blueberries
1 garlic clove
2 Tbl fresh rosemary
juice of 1 lemon
4 Tbl olive oil

Preheat oven to 425.  Wash beets thoroughly and remove stems. (You can saute up those greens with a bit of garlic and balsamic...yum!)  Wrap beets securely in aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet. Roast those bad boys for about 45 minutes. 

In a food processor, combine pistachios, blueberries, garlic, rosemary, and 2 Tbl olive oil.  Pulse until coarsely chopped.  Transfer to a mixing bowl and stir in lemon juice and remaining 2 Tbl oil.  Season with salt and pepper.

Remove beets from oven carefully as some beet juice may have escaped the foil.  You are so happy you put them on a baking sheet now, aren't you? Allow beets to cool until they are easily handled.  Rub beets to remove skin. Your hands will look like a very special episode of Dexter.  Slice beets and top with pesto.

If you are feeling truly madcap (Nicole...ignore this part), serve with the tee-tinsiest bit of (Nicole...look away) goat cheese (I had to!).