Beetroot, or beet, is low in calories and high in phytonutrients. It has medicinal properties that have been appreciated since ancient Roman times, when it was used to treat constipation, improve circulation, combat fevers, and as an aphrodisiac. Modern science has shown that beet nitrates improve cardiovascular health, reduce blood pressure, and increase blood flow. It also contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, reducing the risk of chronic diseases. It is rich in vitamins C, A, K, and several B vitamins, as well as folate, which is important for cell growth.
If you’re not a fan of beets or don’t know how to include them in your diet, here’s a recipe that is worthy of a 5-star restaurant and only takes a few minutes to prepare. Remember that beets can also be consumed in juices, raw, in salads, boiled, baked, as chips, or pickled. The leaves are also edible and rich in vitamins, and they are very similar to spinach or Swiss chard.
Ingredients
8 beets
extra virgin olive oil
salt
4 oranges (in segments)
Cilantro-Mint Sauce:
4 whole cloves of garlic
56 g fresh cilantro (with 3/4 of its stems)
23 g fresh mint leaves
1 tsp cumin and coriander mix (cumin and coriander seeds in equal parts toasted in a pan without oil and ground to powder)
2 tsp Spanish smoked paprika
1 tbsp date syrup
Zest of 1 lemon and juice of 2 lemons
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Directions
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Step 2
Peel the beets. On a cutting board, place two skewer sticks with a beet in the middle. Cut thin slices using the skewer sticks as a guide to avoid cutting all the way through. This will give you a nice accordion-shaped cut.
Step 3
Place the beets in a baking dish, drizzle them with extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkle with a little salt.
Step 4
Cover the beets with parchment paper and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
Step 5
For the cilantro-mint sauce: In the blender, place the garlic cloves, fresh cilantro, mint, cumin and coriander mix, smoked paprika, date syrup, lemon juice and zest, olive oil, and salt.
Step 6
Blend until small pieces of the leaves remain. We don’t want them to completely disintegrate.
Step 7
Serve the roasted beets with cilantro-mint sauce on top and some orange segments.
