Sesame Roasted Beets ‘n Greens

This flavorful way to roast beets and saute their greens will remind you of your favorite Asian dipping sauce: it contains ginger, garlic, sesame, scallions, soy sauce/liquid aminos, and sesame seeds. This recipe is based off of the Sesame Roasted Beets recipe on the excellent cooking website fortheloveoffoodblog.com. Long time cooks will tell you that roasting beets can convert the most adamant of beet haters! Be sure to serve with a vitamin C source such as cabbage orange slaw or lemon juice squeezed  over lentils or fish, in order to absorb the iron in the beets!

Cook time: 35 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:
2 bunches of beets, leaves rinsed and roots scrubbed (peeling optional)
3 tbslp sesame oil, divided
1 leek, cleaned, ends removed and chopped
1 tblsp fresh ginger, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tblsp Bragg's liquid aminos, or soy sauce

1 tsp fish sauce (optional)
salt and pepper, if desired
sesame seeds for garnish

2 scallions, minced, for garnish

Instructions:

-          Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove the greens and stems from the beets root, and set aside.

-          Chop the beets into roughly 1” cubes. Toss beets with one tablespoon of sesame oil and lay flat on sheet pan. Roast for 25 - 30 minutes, turning twice, until beets are tender (but not mushy). 

-          Chop the beet greens (stems are optional). Add one tablespoon of sesame oil to a pan over medium heat. Add the leeks and sauté for two minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté for an additional minute. Add the greens and liquid aminos and cook for 15 - 20 minutes over medium to low heat, until tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.

-          Drizzle beets with remaining tablespoon of sesame oil. Garnish beets and greens with sesame seeds and scallions, and serve warm.

Adapted from Sonnet’s blog:  http://www.fortheloveoffoodblog.com