My Beets Obsession!

      Growing up, beets were the mushy and gross side I stayed away from on holidays. After eating my first beet and goat cheese salad at The Lazy Goat, a wonderful resteraunt in Greenville, South Carolina, my eyes have been opened to the wonderful world of beets! I was inspired to make my own salad similar after the heavenly one at The Lazy Goat.

      My husband, Devin, and I made our own version of the salad with spinach, beets and  we used mozzarella cheese instead of goat cheese. This salad was tasty, but I didn't know it's potential. After perusing through Whole Foods, I found a 4oz pack of goat cheese for $2.50...score!!!! I bought the goat cheese and came home to make the wonderful salad with goat cheese this time.  In the salad I used about 1 oz of goat cheese, 1/4 of a beet (boil for 20 minutes and then peel off the skin and dice).  I also added about 1/4 of a cup of crushed walnuts. I pretty much followed this recipe for whole foods, but used a large beet and spinach.   http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/roasted-beet-and-goat-cheese-salad-sherry-walnut-vinaigrette
Words cannot describe how the great cheese mixes together and blends with the spinach, beets , and walnuts.  
    


       We had about half of a beet left over after making the salad for Devin and me. We put the beets in the fridge and ate them as a side the next night. I doubted it at first, but beets are just as good plain and cold.
      After talking with some friends about my new obsession with beets, little did I know that they would introduce me to a new way to cook them. Tonight I took their advice and peeled the beet and diced it. I also halved a few baby carrots to go with it.  I threw in some olive oil and spices(rosemary, oregano, basil, thyme are a few options). I cooked them at 400 degrees for 20 minutes ... Oh man! So delicious.