Sweet winter beets are roasted to perfection and then drizzled with a slightly sweet, slightly salty and slightly spicy dressing, to make a great side salad or a light dinner entree.

We have been really digging beets lately and it is a good thing since we are smack in the middle of beet season!   We roast them, steam them and sometimes saute them.  Sometimes we drizzle with a mere bit of olive oil or maybe balsamic or just a dusting of sea salt;  either way, they are sweet and earthy with every bite!  As well as delicious, they  contain powerful nutrient compounds that help protect against heart disease, birth defects and certain cancers, especially colon cancer.  So eat your beets!

We wanted a light meal the other night so I thinly sliced some beets and roasted them until cooked through but still slightly crisp to the bite.  I made a dressing (all by taste, sorry no measurements this time) with soy, tahini, a little water and this amazing Yuzu Kosho, that David from Earthy Delights sent us to try out and to write some recipes with.   I have been dying to try the Yuzu and had planned to rub down some pork with it or roll out some sushi, but have not had time for a proper meal lately, so I decided half way through making this dish, that we needed some heat – remember we love heat around here!  It is amazing – spicy (you don’t need much), slightly citrus finish and a little salty.  This dressing was perfect with the sweet but earthy beets, it gave them a very exotic flavor.  Easy and healthy, too!

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Recipe:  Roasted Beet Salad with Tahini Yuzu Kosho Dressing

3 beets, scrubbed clean (we don’t peel), thinly sliced

olive oil, just a drizzle

tahini

soy

yuzu kosho

water, just a couple drops to thin

fresh cracked black pepper

Heat oven to 425.  Lay out a piece of foil and put the beets in the center.  Drizzle over some olive oil, just enough to moisten.  Close up the foil.  Put into the oven and roast for about 20 – 30 minutes, depending on how thinly you sliced them.  While the beets are cooking, make a dressing using remainder ingredients.  I made it entirely on taste, we like it spicy, so we went a little heavy on the yuzu.   Remove beets from oven and plate.  Drizzle the dressing over the top.  Serve.  Eat.