Roasted Beets with Balsamic Glaze

As far as I am concerned roasted beets are the only beets worth eating. Sure, you could argue that this same recipe would be just as good with boiled beets and take less than half the amount of time…but you would be wrong! Boiled beets are fine, but roasted beets are DELICIOUS. The long, slow roasting process brings out the earthy sweetness of the beets and causes the natural sugars to caramelize into all sorts of irresistible flavors. Boiled beets only wish they could be that good! Then there’s the glaze. This sweet yet tangy, super simple balsamic glaze adds an extra layer of yumminess to the already mouthwatering beets. I swear, this recipe might just win over even the most skeptical beet eater.

But wait…there’s more. I have been wanting to share an
entire meal here for awhile now. Not just a one dish meal, but a few simple recipes that together create a complete meal. Since beets are really just a side dish (no matter how good they are) I thought this would be a great opportunity to create an entire meal post with three separate recipes. Roasted Beets with Balsamic Glaze, Chicken Thighs with Honey and Spice, and Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic. By the time you’re done reading this you will know exactly what’s for dinner tonight. Well, maybe tomorrow night. Since the beets take such a long time to roast I would suggest that if you’re making this meal on a week night you might want to roast the beets the night before. While the chicken and cauliflower are in the oven you can then make the glaze and pop the pre-roasted beets in the microwave for a few minutes until they’re warm. Make sure that you peel the beets while they are still warm though, because the skins are much harder to get off once the beets are cold. That reminds me,cold beets are great on salads. Slice or grate them over a spinach salad with citrus and toasted sunflower seeds. Maybe add some chick peas for protein and you have another delicious meal
that can’t be beet! I couldn’t resist – I had to include at least one beet pun.

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Adapted from Simply Recipes
Roasted Beets
with Balsamic Glaze
Serves: 4-6
2 lbs. red beets
2 T. olive oil
coarse salt
1/2 c. balsamic vinegar
2 t. sugar
1 t. orange zest
black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400º.
2. Prepare the beets by cutting off the green tops, trimming the root on the bottom and scrubbing clean.
3. Place the beets on a foil lined baking sheet. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt.
4. Cover the beets with another sheet of foil folding the edges together to create a seal.
5. Roast for 1 to 2 hours or until a fork slides easily into the beet. Test them after one hour and then every 15 minutes until done. For the best flavor, even when you think they’re done let them go for 15 more minutes. This will ensure that the sugars have caramelized and the flavor is at its best. Remove the beets from the oven and let cool. (If you are making the beets ahead of time, skip the next step until right before you are ready to serve them. Be sure to peel the beets while still warm though, otherwise the skins are difficult to remove.)
6. While the beets are cooling make the glaze. Cook the vinegar and sugar; stirring often, over high heat until it reduces to a syrup. Set aside.
7. When the beets are cool enough to handle peel off the skin and cut into bite size pieces.
8. Place the beets in a bowl and drizzle the glaze over the top. Toss with the orange zest and black pepper to taste. Serve warm or cold.

The next recipes are for Roasted Cauliflower and Chicken Thighs with Honey and Spice. They can both go in the oven at the same time because they have similar cooking times, but depending on your oven and the size of the chicken thighs they may not be done at exactly the same time. No problem. Just take out whatever dish is done first, cover with foil and place on your cooktop to keep warm.

Originally, I had planned on roasting the cauliflower and mashing it with a bit of roasted garlic and olive oil, sort of a rustic version of mashed potatoes. That plan all fell apart though when I pulled the roasted cauliflower out of the oven and popped a piece in my mouth. The browned edges and deep nutty flavor were so mouth-watering that I knew then we would eat it as it. Go ahead and mash it if you want, but in the end all I did was toss in a few cloves of roasted garlic and some grated parmesan and oh man was it good. Sometimes the most simple recipes are the best.

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Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic
Serves: 4-6
1 medium size cauliflower
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and fresh black pepper
5-6 cloves roasted garlic (recipe follows)
3 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400º.
2. Cut the cauliflower into bite size florets and place them in a 9 x 11-inch baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and fresh ground pepper.
3. Roast 30-35 minutes, stirring and flipping the cauliflower at least once. You will know it is done when the edges began to turn brown and crispy and the florets are tender.
4. Remove from the oven and mix in 4-5 cloves of roasted garlic and parmesan cheese. Toss to combine. Serve hot.

The roasted garlic can go in the oven along with the cauliflower and chicken.

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Roasted Garlic
1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Peel the outer layers off the garlic bulb, leaving the thin skin around the individual cloves.
3. Cut off the top 1/4 to 1/2-inch of garlic bulb to expose the tops of the cloves.
4. Place on a sheet of tinfoil and drizzle with olive oil. Gather the foil together at the top of the bulb and twist to seal.
5. Roast 30 to 35 minutes or until the cloves are soft.
6. Remove the garlic from the oven, unwrap it from the tinfoil and let cool. When the bulb is cool enough to touch use a knife or fork to gently pull the roasted cloves from their skins.

The chicken can also go in the oven along with the cauliflower and garlic. This recipe is one of my favorites because its easy and flavorful. The spice level can be adjusted by varying the amount of red pepper that you add. This is a recipe that I make year round. In the summer on the grill, and this time of year in the oven. You really could make this dish with any chicken parts that you like, but in my opinion chicken thighs are the most flavorful and don’t dry out in the oven like chicken breasts tend to. I also like to use the thighs with bones in them because they tend to stay more moist than the boneless version. Sometimes I can’t find skinless bone-in chicken thighs so I just buy the ones with skin and remove it. Yes, I know the skin is oh so tasty, but also oh so unhealthy. I promise that with the spice rub and honey vinegar glaze you will never miss the skin.

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Adapted from Cooking Light
Chicken Thighs with Honey and Spice
Serves: 4
4 bone-in skinless chicken thighs
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1-1/2 teaspoon red pepper
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
3 tablespoons honey

1. Preheat the oven to 400º.
2. Combine the garlic powder through red pepper in a small bowl. Add 1/2 teaspoon red pepper for just a touch of heat and 1 teaspoon or more for a spicy flavor. In another small bowl whisk together the cider vinegar and honey. If the honey is stiff and doesn’t combine easily with the vinegar put it in the microwave for 8-10 seconds to soften. Set aside.
3. Place the chicken thighs in a baking dish large enough so that space remains between them. Coat the chicken evenly on both sides with the spice mixture. Brush on half of the vinegar and honey mix.
4. Bake for 25-35 minutes depending on the size of the thighs. Flip once in the middle of the baking time and baste with the remaining honey sauce. The chicken in done when the juices run clear when poked with a fork and the internal temperature reaches 180º.