Beets with olive oil

When I think about how I've embraced this meatless diet, I almost have to laugh at myself. Seriously. It's very funny. When I was growing up, we were a meat eating family for sure. My mother was raised that way and it would have been unheard of not to have meat in your diet. In fact, I think she found all vegetarians to be far out hippies from California. But I detested ALL vegetables with the exception of corn. My mother made the standard veggies: corn, carrots, peas, green beans and spinach. Many a summer evening I remember having to sit at the table, long after my brothers were excused, staring at a plate of cold, slimy spinach until I finished it. There were some things even she never ventured in to: beets, brussel sprouts, cauliflower and rarely broccoli. I love my mother to pieces but she killed vegetables in boiled water. It wasn't until I was an adult with a changed taste palette that I learned how to prepare veggies in different ways to make them actually good. But I digress. Recently, we were at my step son's house and he had prepared beet salad. I wrinkled my nose up when he offered me a taste. Breen challenged me so I took a bite. It was really quite good. He had them drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with sea salt and black pepper. They kind of taste like a slightly sweet white potato. I made them last night as a side vegetable. Not only are they a gorgeous shade of purple-red, they also have great nutritional benefits.

Beets with Olive Oil, sea salt and pepper

one bunch of beets (about 5 nice medium sized roots)
Olive oil
sea salt
black pepper

1. Rinse the beets, and cut the leafy stems off
2. In a large pot, fill it with water and bring to a boil
3. Drop the beet roots (unpeeled) in to the water
4. Cook on low boil for 25-30 minutes
5. Remove beets from water, let them cool and peel away the skin
6. Slice the beets in to thin slices and toss with olive oil, sea salt and pepper

Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled.