Hi Everyone!
Today I want to chat about ways that you can eat well, without being a slave to the stove, and it ties in perfectly with what to do with all of those lovely beets we got last week in our CSA boxes.
I know that many of you have hectic schedules that see your time and attention pulled in a million different directions on any given day, but this doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice food quality or flavour. So, today we’re talking leftovers!
I love leftovers so much that I make them intentionally. (C’mon! Who doesn’t want to come home after a long day and have dinner already halfway taken care of?) So what do I mean by “intentional leftovers?” I mean that for our family of 2, I double or triple batch almost everything that I make. Some are intended as lunches or dinner the next night, while others head straight to the freezer to be pulled out on those night when neither of us could be asked to dream up something for dinner. If you’ve set aside time to go to the trouble of making a lasagna, you may as well make 2. Or why not double those mashed potatoes you have on the go? With a little piece of fish and some herbs, they’re transformed into quick and easy fish cakes for the next night.
When it comes to winter vegetables, beets are one of my favourites to cook in huge batches because of their versatility. Once they’re cooked and cooled in the fridge, I have an entire week of endless possibilities. One night might be beet hummus, or sliced thin and served cold on a salad or in a toasted sandwich, or just warmed in the oven to accompany a pork chop, or piece of chicken. What about a flatbread with perfectly roasted beets and maybe some feta crumbled on top, or diced into pasta, or added in to punch up a bowl of soup? You see what I mean? When you’re cooking, try to get yourself into the habit of simply asking “Can I double or triple this without much time or trouble?” Every time that you say yes, you’ve just granted yourself a few days (or more) of stress reducing, time saving, quick and delicious meals. In this house, leftovers are cape wearing heroes.
Perfect roasted beets
As many beets as you can fit in a roasting pan
A big drizzle of oil
Salt & pepper to taste
A sprinkle of rosemary or thyme, or whatever other herb you have available (fresh or dried)
**Optional
1 lemon or orange
Directions
Wash, trim ends, and cut beets into quarters or thick discs. You can peel them if you want, but the skin is just as delicious as the rest so I don’t bother
Put them in a large roaster, drizzle over with enough oil to thinly coat everything, and toss in whatever herbs you have (whole is fine)
Cut the lemon or orange in half (if using) squeeze juice over beets and then toss them in too.
Salt & pepper to season
Bake covered at 350 for 40-45 min until barely fork tender.
Let them cool & store covered in the fridge.
You now have a fantastic ingredient waiting for you all week that has the speed and ease of fast food, but with all of the flavour and goodness of farm fresh.
Love some local food & I’ll see you next Monday!