Beets - not just for pickling! Roasted Sea Salt Candied Beets

When most people think of beets they think those pickled little guys in the jar - or maybe if you've got some Polish-Ukranian heritage maybe you've even experimented with Borscht. But it doesn't have to end there. And for those of you 'beet-haters' out there - if you've never really been a fan of beets, all I ask is that you give them one more shot!

Roasted Sea Salt Candy Beets (4 servings)

- 4-5 medium candy beets (like the regular red beets you see out there....but have red and white stripes....they taste the same but look amazing served on your plate! truly though...any beets will do)

- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- dash of coarse sea salt

1) Cut off the ends and roots of the beets and slice into discs (1/4" thick). Don't worry about peeling them! (fyi: the thinner they are, the crispier your beets can get :)
2) Toss in 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil and sea salt.
3) Put on a cookie sheet (I use parchment paper underneath to keep my cookie sheet clean, but it's not required) in a single layer.
4) Bake in the oven at approximately 350 degrees. Roast for approx 45 minutes flipping beets once. Once tender, the beets are cooked, but some of you might prefer a crispier beet 'chip' (I like mine quite crunchy if I can). If you want to try them crispy instead of soft, turn down the oven to approx. 225 degrees and let them roast until desired texture. For that last burst of heat, flip on the broiler at max heat and get them nice and crunchy!

*these lovely little root veggies are packed with nutrients  - but a little bit of wisdom - don't overload on them because they do contain a lot of natural sugars - have them along side some other veggies (like asparagus or zucchini) and a nice beef tenderloin (or other protein choice :) and with the healthy fat in the olive oil, you've got a great meal!

Calories - 104, carbs - 10g, protein - 2g, fat - 7g