Meatless Monday: Orange-Balsamic Roasted Beets and Carrots over Quinoa and Spinach

The storm's-a-comin' as I write this: the winds outside are picking up and the rain is just starting to come down. We are all ready with a stocked kitchen, extra filtered water, and plenty of candles at hand. We don't know just how bad Sandy's going to be, but we will be cozy :)

I was craving fresh vegetables after 3 days in a row of eating a less than stellar intake. Turkey loaf with Rice-a-Roni one night, carnival fare at the pumpkin patch for lunch on Saturday, then lasagna with tiramisu for dessert- I needed vegetarian pronto! And beets were on my mind...I picked up a bunch at my last trip to the supermarket, and roasted them along with some carrots in a sweet and slightly sour marinade...

Orange-Balsamic Roasted Beets and Carrots
(serves 2-4)

Ingredients:

3-4 beets
4-6 carrots
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tsp orange zest + extra
Salt and pepper to taste (optional)

Set oven to broil. Slice off tops and bottoms of beets, then peel with a peeler. Wrap in tin foil, and place on baking sheet, then into oven like in picture below. Broil for 45 minutes-1 hour, or until they are easily pierce-able by a fork.

Meanwhile, trim and peel carrots then cut into thirds and quarters, or however you'd like. Reserve them for the last 20 minutes of roasting; at the appropriate time, arrange them on tray beside beets.

Once ready, remove beets and carrots from oven and allow to cool. While they're cooling, heat balsamic vinegar and orange juice over low heat in small saucepan. Heat for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture thickens slightly. Slice beets up like an orange into sections, or however you prefer. Toss veggies in bowl and some salt and pepper to taste if desired.

We ate this served over quinoa and fresh baby spinach, along with some orange slices and extra orange juice squirted right onto it all. It was delicious and refreshing, just what I was craving. Paul and Lily enjoyed it as well. This is a great way to introduce these kinds of healthy foods to your family. The veggies are extra sweet with this marinade, and it all mixes well with the spinach and quinoa. I cooked 1 cup of quinoa according to the package, along with a tsp of olive oil. 

she likes her beets!

Balsamic vinegar is my most often-used salad dressing. I like to mix it with a little olive oil, and salt and pepper. Did you know this low-fat, low-cal condiment also contains some health benefits? It is high in antioxidants, aids the digestive system in breaking down proteins, and also helps to regulate blood sugar, making it especially beneficial for those with diabetes.

If you have little ones under a year old, serve some of the carrots and beets mashed up plain, or with a little orange juice if desired. This is truly a meal the entire family can enjoy, whether you partake in Meatless Mondays or not.   

Now it's your turn to share your Meatless Monday dish below! No rules, other than please only link-up meat-free recipes. No other un-related links or I will remove them. Sorry to sound so harsh, but let's keep it true to what it is, ok? Link up as much as you want, and feel free to spread the word with the button below. Thanks, and have a great week! 

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