Balsamic Honey Roasted Beet Salad
I would be willing to wager that by the end of this blog, you find yourself contemplating giving beets a try, or another try if you previously declared that you would never eat another beet. If you enjoy beets, you will likely learn some compelling information that will prompt you to add beets to your next grocery list.
Beets have an undeserved, bad reputation. Yes, they smell and taste earthy when eaten raw, but if that is not a flavor you’re into, keep reading. Beets take on a different flavor depending on how they are prepared, but more on that later. These truly impressive root vegetables not only sport a beautiful hue, they are nutrient-dense, meaning they are packed with essential vitamins and minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals to keep the body running smoothly.
Beet Nutrition
Beets are a highly nutritious vegetable. They offer essential vitamins and minerals that the body needs to function properly. Among other nutrients, beets are rich in folate (B9), fiber, and manganese.
Folate is important at all life stages, starting from conception. Folate is essential for neural tube development, which takes place in the first 28 days following conception. It is critical that pregnant folks meet their folate needs to help prevent serious birth defects of the brain and spine.
As the body continues to grow and develop, it continues to require folate for several critical processes, such as red blood cell formation and general healthy cell growth and development.
Fiber, another nutrient provided by beets, is crucial for microbiome health, keeping the bowels moving, and blood sugar control. Fiber is an important part of a balanced diet. Beets offer both soluble and insoluble fiber. The difference, simply put: soluble fiber is dissolvable in water, whereas insoluble fiber is not.
Each type of fiber has its own set of benefits. Soluble fiber may help to improve digestion by dissolving into a gel. Soluble fiber has also been found to help reduce blood cholesterol. Insoluble fiber does not dissolve, but it does attract water and helps to keep stool bulked and moving through the digestive tract.
Insoluble fiber also helps to keep the bacteria in the gut (the gut microbiota) fed and happy. When the body has a balanced microbiome, it can reap the benefits of the mutually beneficial relationship humans have to their healthy gut bacteria.
Manganese is a cofactor for several enzymes, helping these enzymes to perform their biochemical transformations. Metabolism of amino acids, cholesterol, glucose, and carbohydrates requires manganese. Additionally, manganese can act as an antioxidant, help with bone formation and reproduction, and supports a healthy immune response.
Health Benefits of Beets
Now that you are familiar with some of the amazing nutrients beets have to offer, let’s look at some big health claims. Adding beets to the diet may help to reduce blood pressure, keep the mind healthy, combat cancer, and fight inflammation.
Studies have found that eating raw beets or drinking beet juice can help to temporarily, reduce blood pressure. The mechanism behind this is blood vessel dilation due to the high concentration of nitrates in beets.
If you are looking to keep your mind sharp, those nitrates we just talked about can help you there as well. Studies have found that the dilation of blood vessels allows more blood to flow to the brain, especially the frontal lobe, which is great for decision making and other higher level thinking. It is thought that this same mechanism may help to slow the onset and progression of dementia. While this is exciting news, more studies are needed.
Beets may help to combat cancer. This is a big one with cancer being so prevalent. In studies, beets have been found to slow the division and growth of cancer cells.
Lastly, beets are rich in betalains, which promote anti-inflammatory effects in the body. Including beets in your diet may help to reduce inflammation in the body.
As you can see, beets have many properties that make them extraordinary. However, beets are not a cure all. The key to reaping these benefits is to add beets into an overall balanced diet. Work with an RD or RDN to find balance in your diet.
Talking Through the Balsamic Honey Roasted Beet Recipe
This recipe is absolutely delicious! The colors and textures are beautiful. This is definitely a fan favorite. I like to make the roasted beets ahead of time and allow them to cool prior to preparing the salad, especially if I am hosting.
Let’s get into it. Get that oven warmed up by preheating to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. For this recipe, I prefer to use red beets over golden beets, but either will do. The red beets are going to add a rich color and a little extra flavor. Before cooking, I make sure to clean my workspace and wash my hands to prevent foodborne illness. I also wash my beets and any other produce under cold, running water. The beets are tough, so I recommend using a vegetable scrub brush if you have one on hand.
Once clean, set the dry produce aside and measure out all of the remaining ingredients. This is a great time to also prepare a baking tray. Line a tray with a baking mat or tinfoil and set aside.
Working with beets can be intimidating because they have a strong pigment. Be careful not to work with any materials that you do not want to get stained (looking at you, white towels). You can also use gloves to decrease the stains on your hands. I do find that beet cleanup is typically easy and very doable, so do not let that fear stop you from enjoying these amazing vegetables!
Over a cutting board, peel the beets. You can compost the peels to reduce waste. Cut the beets into 1-inch cubes. The important thing here is to make sure all of your beets are pretty uniform in size so that they cook evenly.
In a medium bowl, drizzle olive oil over the diced beets. Add salt and massage beets until well coated. Now grab that prepared baking tray (thank your past self for setting your present self up for success) and spread the beets into a single layer. Place in the oven on the middle rack and cook for about 20 minutes. At this time, remove the beets and toss them to promote even cooking throughout. Return to the oven and cook for another 10 minutes.
Combine the balsamic vinegar and honey, mixing until well combined. Remove the beets from the oven and drizzle this mixture over them. Mix so that all beets are well coated and return to the oven. Cook for 10 minutes, tossing half way through. You are looking for the balsamic honey glaze to reduce and become less runny and more sticky.
You will know the beets are ready once they are tender to the touch and that balsamic honey glaze is the consistency mentioned above. Remove the beets from the oven and let them cool. If you are preparing this in advance, be sure to store the beets in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them.
Drop a comment if you have any questions. If you make this recipe, let me know how it turns out!
Balsamic Honey Roasted Beet Salad
Roasted Beets Recipe
Ingredients
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp honey
1 large beet or 3 small beets
1 Tbsp olive oil
½ tsp salt
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Line a baking tray with foil and set aside.
Combine balsamic vinegar and honey in a small dish. Set aside.
Wash and dry beets.
Peel and dice beets into 1” cubes.
In a medium bowl, drizzle olive oil over beets. Add salt and combine until all beets are coated.
Spread the beets into a single layer on the prepared baking tray.
Place the baking tray in the oven and allow the beets to roast for about 20 minutes.
Remove the beets from the oven and flip to allow even cooking.
Return the beets to the oven and cook for another 10 minutes.
Remove the beets from the oven once again and drizzle the balsamic and honey mixture onto them. Stir until well coated.
Return the beets to the oven and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
Beets are done when they are tender to the touch, and the balsamic honey mixture is no longer runny.
Remove from the oven and allow the beets to cool.
Salad Recipe
Salad Ingredients
1 bunch kale, curly
1 bunch swiss chard or other greens
1 cucumber
1 bunch green onions
1 carrot
1 recipe balsamic honey roasted beets
Dressing Ingredients
¼ cup olive oil
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 ½ Tbsp honey
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
Directions
Wash and dry greens, cucumber, green onions, and the carrot.
If the kale is tough, massage it for 30 seconds to make it tender.
Chop the kale and swiss chard.
Dice the cucumber.
Slice the green onions.
Grate the carrot.
Prepare the dressing by adding the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper to a mason jar.
Shake the jar until well combined.
In a large bowl, add the greens, cucumber, green onion, carrots, and balsamic honey roasted beets.
With gloves on, mix the salad with your hands until well combined.
Drizzle on the dressing and serve.
Enjoy!
Resources
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, June 15). Folic acid. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved September 8, 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/folicacid/about.html#:~:text=When%20the%20baby%20is%20developing,the%20early%20brain%20and%20spine.
Clifford, T., Howatson, G., West, D., & Stevenson, E. (2015). The Potential Benefits of Red Beetroot Supplementation in Health and Disease. Nutrients, 7(4), 2801–2822. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu7042801
Das, S., Filippone, S. M., Williams, D. S., Das, A., & Kukreja, R. C. (2016). Beet root juice protects against doxorubicin toxicity in cardiomyocytes while enhancing apoptosis in breast cancer cells. Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, 421(1-2), 89–101. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11010-016-2789-8
Lechner, J. F., & Stoner, G. D. (2019). Red Beetroot and Betalains as Cancer Chemopreventative Agents. Molecules, 24(8), 1602. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24081602
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Nowacki, L., Vigneron, P., Rotellini, L., Cazzola, H., Merlier, F., Prost, E., Ralanairina, R., Gadonna, J.-P., Rossi, C., & Vayssade, M. (2015). Betanin-enriched red beetroot (beta vulgarisL.) extract induces apoptosis and autophagic cell death in MCF-7 Cells. Phytotherapy Research, 29(12), 1964–1973. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.5491
Petrie, M., Rejeski, W. J., Basu, S., Laurienti, P. J., Marsh, A. P., Norris, J. L., Kim-Shapiro, D. B., & Burdette, J. H. (2016). Beet Root juice: An Ergogenic Aid for Exercise and the Aging Brain. The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glw219
