Beets and Carrots

Now that you’re addicted to beet greens, what can you do with the round magenta roots that come with them?

I like to serve them with carrots. Both are sweet and earthy, and their colors - purple and orange - go great together.

Roasting brings out the sweetness in both these roots. In fact, if someone in your family thinks they don’t like beets, try serving them roasted. Many people prefer the texture over pickled or boiled.

Roast beets will last a few days in a covered container in the fridge, ready to be diced and tossed cold in a salad. They add color to a rice dish, and an earthy dimension to a vegetable medley. You can also heat them in a skillet with a little melted butter or olive oil for an instant side dish.

Once you’ve tasted roasted beets, you’ll love them as much as beet greens.

Roasted Beets and Carrots
3 medium beets (about 1 1/4 lbs with greens)
1 1/4 lbs carrots
1 tbsp olive oil (or a little less)

Trim greens from beets, leaving 1 inch stems attached. (Save greens for wilted greens.

Scrub the beets well, put them in a covered casserole, and roast at 425° until tender, about 1 hour depending on the size of the beets.

Scrub the carrots and cut into 3/4 inch slices. Toss in a shallow pan with olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Remove beets from oven. Roast carrots until tender, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, let the beets cool, then trim off the stems and slip off the peel. Cut each beet into 6 wedges.

Toss the beets and carrots together and roast another 10-15 minutes until beets are hot and carrots are very tender.

Serves 2-3.