Maple Roasted Beets and Carrots
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My dad loves beets. I mean he LOVES beets. We always dreaded the dinners where beets were a side dish. It didn’t matter if they were canned, boiled, baked…I always thought they tasted like dirt. After a while, my parents gave up forcing their children to like beets.
I hadn’t consumed beets since then, but I always wanted to try my hand a roasting them. Visiting my parents this last week, I knew I would find several pounds of fresh beets sitting in the refrigerator waiting to be consumed.
Remember when I said my dad LOVES beets? He eats them as a snack if they are available. Which…in hindsight, is somewhat odd…especially if you factor in that Russia is known for their Borsch (beet soup), Vinaigrette (Russian beet/potato salad), Svekolnik (beet pudding), Pink Pancakes (self-explanatory)…and…my dad spent most of his Air Force career flying long missions in a B-52 during the Cold War. My dad is an awesome conundrum.
Back to the roasted beets and carrots. I took the opportunity to experiment with my beautiful niece’s help, while visiting my parents last week.
She was a HUGE help and loved it as much as I did. She peeled, seasoned, stirred, and watched the root vegetables in the oven. She was the perfect sous-chef.
Perfect for little hands and hands that routinely peel the skin off of knuckles (definitely me!).
When I was trying to decide how to prepare the beets and carrots, I knew I wanted to accent the fragrances and flavors of autumn. It was then I settled on maple-glazed with a touch of cinnamon.
Maple Roasted Beets and Carrots
Ingredients
- 3 large beets peeled
- 3 large carrots peeled
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary chopped
Instructions
- Once the beets and carrots have been peeled, chop them into relatively uniform sizes and place them on a baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil over the top, approximately 1-2 tbsp, then season with salt and pepper. Move around on the baking sheet to coat all of the beet and carrot pieces.
- In a preheated 375°F oven, place the baking sheet fill with the beets and carrots and bake for 30 minutes, stirring occationally so the vegetables don't stick to the pan.
- After 30 minutes, take the baking pan out of the oven and sprinkle the cinnamon over the root vegetables, then drizzle the pure maple syrup over the top. Stir again to cover all of the bites. Place back in the oven for another 15 miunutes.
- When 15 minutes are up, take the baking pan out of the oven and sprinkle the fresh rosemary over the top of the vegetables. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Aren’t the vibrant colors of the beets and carrots just beautiful? I LOVE the deep purple maroon color of the beets combined with the intense orange of the carrots. Have you tried beets before? Do you have a favorite way to prepare and eat beets? What are your favorite flavors to combine with root vegetables?
Hope y’all are having an amazing week. Stay safe and hug your loved ones.
