Confession! Prior to finding this way to prepare beets, I couldn’t stand them. Years ago, when I would slave over juicing, I’d comply and put them into my juicer but not because I liked them. No, it was 100% because I knew they were good for me. I knew they’d support my liver (got to love on your liver) and give me lots of good nutrients but dang, I hated them. Now, I seriously love and even crave beets! What you feed your body, you will begin to crave, so let’s take steps together to continuously improve our choices and add in more of the good!

What is so special about beets?

Well, first, look at the brilliant colors! Richly, colorful whole foods are a beacon for goodness! Beets are especially high in antioxidants (aka anti-aging) and anti-inflammatory (more anti-aging) elements. Their high nitrate content supports circulation and healthier blood pressure. They are loaded with folate, potassium, vitamin C, magnesium, copper, phosphorus, zinc and iron. While these are the more commonly known vitamins and minerals, beets also contain thousands of phytonutrients us normal folks have never even heard of. No wonder beets are a superfood! (And no wonder they are in my Juice Plus Berry Blend capsules I take every day; another “secret” to anti-aging!)

Roasting Sliced Beets

While you can mash, smash, steam and boil, roasting remains my favorite way to prepare my beloved beets. I start by washing with a firm brush or rubbing with the coarse side of a Norwex Veggie Cloth. Cut off the tops and the pointy end. After washing tops under running water or soaking in a bowl, you can them in a smoothie, julienne them or freeze to add to a sauté or soup.

Cut each beet in half so you have a flat surface to stabilize while slicing. Cut into ⅛” slices. You will have all sorts of shapes but the thickness should be close to a uniform ⅛”. Toss with just olive oil and layer on a cookie sheet in a single layer. (You don’t even need salt but if you want to add a sprinkle, go ahead or use Fortisalt an incredibly healthy reduced salt seasoning. Be sure to use code “heidi20” for 20% off your order.)

Bake at 475° for 15 minutes, flip and bake another 10-15 minutes until they start to brown just a bit. This browning caramelizes the beet sugar and makes them taste divine! Even my husband who previously said beets taste like dirt (not a good way😂) started eating them on a more regular basis.

Serve as is for a side dish, add to salads or other dishes for a little sweetness. Every now and then I will accidentally cut some too thin or cook too long and then I get beet chips. If this appeals to you more, you can experiment with cutting a little thinner and baking at a lower temperature for longer. Since most of the moisture is removed with this method, they will be ok stored at room temperature to be eaten over a few days.

I will never take these gorgeous ruby-purple and sunset yellow-orange orbs for granted again! The key to eating any vegetable consistently is finding a way that you enjoy eating it. If I had given up after the canned beets and juicing, my body and taste buds would be missing out. Sure, eating vegetables raw is usually the preferred method to maintain optimal nutrients, but if you can’t or won’t, then don’t just give up. They are so worth the effort! And if you can’t bear vegetables for whatever reason, get your butt over to my website and order at least the Berry, Fruit and Vegetable capsules or chewables. You can run but you can’t outrun your fork. You need your vegetables, berries and fruits; 7 to 13 servings. Yes, that many. Every. Single. Day. And these just help make it a tad, no, a LOT easier!