I haven’t met a girl who doesn’t like beets.  Is it the blood red color, the earthy flavor, the sweetness?  Who knows?!  But, what I haven’t met is a man who likes them, or I don’t know of many anyway.   You can try this experiment too, I bet you’ll get the same answers across the sex party line.

Amazing thing, beets are.   And they are even more amazing when roasted to a caramelized crispy perfection!  The balsamic vinegar brings out the sweetness of the beets, and the salt balances out the flavor.  Tender on the inside and crispy around the edges…delicious!  These are wonderful as a side dish or also on salads.

Beets are also one of the healthiest foods in the world, with antioxidant and antiinflatmitory properties.  So go ahead and be a beet glutton!

ROASTED BEETS:

8 medium beets                                                                                                                                ½ cup olive oil                                                                                                                                   3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar                                                                                                                        salt to taste

Peel the roughest parts of the beet skin, don’t worry about peeling the whole thing though, the skins soften with the roasting.  Chop beets to 2” pieces.  Pour oil and vinegar in baking dish and mix together.  Add beets, salt liberally and stir well. Bake at 425 uncovered, stirring periodically, for 45 min – 1.5 hours, until the edges of the beets are crispy.  At lower altitudes the beets will cook faster, so check on them at about 45 min.