Beet It

I go to the grocery store for inspiration.  I had been eyeballing beets and wanting to try my hand at roasting them myself, because though I like canned beets, it was high time that I make my own for comparison.  So I bought myself some beets.  Looked up a recipe.  Seemed easy enough.  So I tried it.  Made a bad ass salad and am now in love with beets and beet salads.

It's super easy.

Here's What You Do:
Preheat oven to 400.  Get a bunch of beets.  Mine usually come in 3's at my grocery store.  Chop off their little rat tail looking ends and the greens (you can use the beet greens in your salad if you like.  I noticed that when I buy the box of spring mix lettuce, there are beet greens in it...they're yummy).  Wash them off real good.  They come from out of the dirt, so they're dirty little suckers.  Don't skip this step.  You may even have to scrub them a little.  But take care of them.  They're about to take care of you.  Get a big sheet of foil and place the beets on the foil.  Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper them.  Wrap them up super tight in the foil and bake for 40-45 minutes.  When a knife easily goes through them, they're done.  Let the beets cool with the foil open hfor about 15 minutes.  Then take a paper towel and wipe the skin of the beets away.  It's much easier than trying to peel your beets before hand.  Trust me!  And don't wear white when working with beets.  EVER.   

You now have many options.  I sliced my beets and added them to a salad of mixed greens, toasted pecans, shallot and goat cheese with a light vinaigrette dressing.  Can't beet it with a stick.

Simple Vinaigrette Dressing:
1 shallot, diced
1 tablespoon of Dijon
1/8 cup of champagne vinegar
1/4 cup of olive oil (you can use any oil you like here)
salt & pepper

Throw everything into a jar and shake.

Pretty little beets awaiting their 400 degree oven