Moroccan Roasted Beets with Pomegranate Seeds

It's the week of Christmas.  Insanity, right?!  I have barely started my shopping (and I sort of can't afford to anyway).  I have, however, been making candies for gifts like it's my job; get ready for lots of recipes... then again, I am weeks behind on recipes, so you can expect the candy recipes maybe by Valentine's Day!  Because here we are at almost Christmas, and I am about to share my Thanksgiving recipes with you.

As you may already know, I hosted Thanksgiving this year.  35 beautiful, wonderful family and friends packed into my house, and every one of them helped make it possible.  For example, I somehow managed to not have to roast either the turkeys or the ham!  I got to focus on desserts and side dishes, which are my true loves anyway.

So, on to the beets.  In case my sweet aunt Tracy reads this - and I know she does! - I will not tell you that I have always disliked her pickled beets.  Shhhh, it's a secret.  But I really do love beets.  I think they have such a subtle, slightly sweet, earthy flavor that can be totally overwhelmed by vinegar.  I'm a fan of pickles and beets, but not pickled beets.  Please!  So I took over the beets this year.  I wanted to try out something new that could maybe turn the beet haters into beet lovers (or at least beet try-ers).  I was intrigued by this recipe.  The beets are roasted with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper until they are tender and sweet.  Then the fun starts.  There's a balsamic maple glaze that goes on after they roast, and right before you serve, you add in pomegranate seeds, crushed roasted pistachios, and orange zest.  There's so much flavor and color and texture in such a healthy, humble dish that it makes me smily just thinking about it.  OMG sometimes I am such a kitchen nerd.  But really.  And I was totally kitchen nerd-ing out when I heard people complimenting the beets at dinner.  In fact they were even featured in Gram's annual stream of consciousness speech!  Trust me, beet haters. Give this recipe a try and you may change your mind.

No offense, Tracy.  I love you and your bread pudding ;)

One important note: this is totally a perfect make-ahead dish.  I roasted the beets and made the glaze the day before; I just reheated and put everything together on Thanksgiving.  I think beets are best freshly roasted, but microwaving them and warming them in the oven worked just fine too.

Recipe:

Moroccan roasted beets with pomegranate seeds

from Feasting at Home

serves 4 - 6

Ingredients:

3 pounds beets, scrubbed, peeled, and cut into 3/4-inch wedges or slices

2/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

for glaze:

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon maple syrup

for topping:

1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

1/4 cup crushed roasted pistachios

1 tablespoon orange zest

Instructions:

1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Toss beets, olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a bowl.  Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast until fork tender, stirring every 15 minutes, for about 45 minutes.

2) While beets roast, make the glaze.  Combine vinegar and maple syrup in a small pot on low heat and reduce for 20 minutes until you have about 3 tablespoons.

3) When beets are done, place in a serving dish and toss with balsamic glaze, pomegranate seeds, and pistachios.  Garnish with orange zest.

Roasted Fall Vegetables

I am sure that every new bride has the same nauseating anxiety the first time she has the in-laws over for dinner in her new home.  You have to make something everyone will like, that will be impressive but not flashy, and doable on a work night without having to spend the entire evening in the kitchen.  I like cooking challenges; I was prepared.  But here's the background: I once tried to have the Ajemians over this summer when I made roasted vegetable burritos, and the first thing they said when they walked in the door was, "is that broccoli and cauliflower I smell?  We hate that."  Oh dear.  So that added a little bit to my nerves this night, when I was having them plus Kaz and Andrea over.

Besides knowing my parents-in-law's distaste for broccoli and cauliflower, there was more to consider.  I, of course, am a vegetarian, but I was already pretty sure that I was going to have to suck it up and be brave because I wasn't about to serve them lentils.  Then there's Andrea, who is semi-vegetarian in that she doesn't eat red meat (which includes pork).  Then there's Kaz, who has celiac disease and can have no gluten.  And my mother-in-law is a meat-and-potatoes kind of girl; she is kind of like my mom in that she doesn't like things overly spiced or too flavorful.  Take all those dietary restrictions into consideration and tell me you aren't feeling pangs of sympathetic anxiety!

Hours of stressing and texting Andrea ensued, and I finally settled on my menu: chicken (more on that in the next post), salad, and these roasted vegetables.  I know you cannot go wrong with roasting vegetables - as long as they aren't broccoli and cauliflower - and these ones were no exception.  I am sure that most people don't feel the need to use a recipe to simply roast veggies, but I needed to make sure every detail was perfect that night!  And this is perfection: carrots, brussel sprouts, red new potatoes, and sweet potatoes roasted together with salt and pepper, and dried oregano, thyme and basil.  That's it.  It's so simple but so amazing.  I love how the vegetables get sweeter and more complex-tasting, and the herbs freshen them up.  The colors of this dish are gorgeous as well.  It's just so simple; they bake for just under an hour while you can work on the main dish.

I will make you wait until tomorrow to hear how the entire meal went, but I can tell you these vegetables were a hit :)  I have since made them one other time for my pre-Thanksgiving celebration with my family - more on that coming up too!  So many recipes to share... and luckily, so many days off in which to do so.  2 days till Christmas vacation!

Recipe:

roasted fall vegetables
from Love Grows Wild

Ingredients:
1/3 cup olive oil
4 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch thick pieces
1 1/2 medium brussel sprouts, halved
4 cups red new potatoes, cut into 1 1/2-inch thick pieces
1 cup sweet potatoes, cut into 1 1/2-inch thick pieces
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil

Instructions:

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2) Divide chopped vegetables onto 2 baking sheets and drizzle with olive oil.

3) Sprinkle vegetables with salt, pepper and dried herbs and toss gently to coat.

4) Spread vegetables into an even layer on baking sheets and bake for 45 - 50 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking time.