Roasted Yellow Beets, Leeks, and Red Jalapenos

Roasted yellow beets, leeks, and red jalapenos

I’m excited to share with you my submission into this month’s, Go Ahead Honey its Gluten Free hosted by Gluten Free Cat, but first the randomly chosen give-away winner of the 32 oz jar of Tropical Traditions coconut oil is:

Kim Ledford!

How does Kim use real food in her diet?  “I incorporate fresh fruit in smoothies, lots of root veggies in soups and kale is a staple in my diet….yum”

Kim, send me an email at thegreciangarden (at) aol (dot) com so I can get your shipping info.

~~~

This year for Valentines Day I wanted to make something savory instead of sweet, simply because:

After filling  those catering orders and more, the idea of creating a sweet treat for Valentines Day  just wasn’t appealing to me.

The Go Ahead Honey event sounded awesome because it could potentially be sweet or savory, depending on your interpretation. For our Valentines Day (which we celebrated on saturday) I served up this savory heart-shaped side dish using yellow beets, which have an earthier flavor than red beets.  I paired them with mild leeks and  spicy red jalapenos. The flavor was spicy and bright and the addition of cilantro and lime truly makes this creation a winner.  You don’t have to make this dish in the shape of a heart  to enjoy it…it tastes great served fresh from the oven as a rectangle, hexagon, or any other polygon of your choosing.  I served it alongside roasted lamb and zucchini with green onions drizzled with sesame oil.

Roasted yellow beets with leeks and red jalapenos

If you can’t find red jalapenos you can sub green…I am obsessed with the  bright red ones though! Likewise, this dish would be great with red beets too.

3 medium beets

3 leeks, washed well to ensure there is no grit left behind.

1 red jalapeno

1/4 tsp dried tarragon

pinch of ground cloves

salt and pepper to taste

melted coconut oil – approximately 1/4 cup

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 lime

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and grease with coconut oil.  Peel beets and chop into 1/2 in cubes and toss onto cookie sheet.  Slice leeks into 1/4 in rounds and toss with beets.  Cut jalapeno in half and slice thinly, then transfer to cookie sheet.  Remove seeds and pith for less heat.

Coat vegetables with 2 – 3 tablespoons of coconut oil and sprinkle with tarragon, cloves, salt, and pepper.  Bake for 30 minutes stirring half way to prevent over browning.  To serve, place on a platter and sprinkle with 1/4 cup chopped cilantro and the juice from 1 lime.  You can use a large heart-shaped cookie cutter to form heart-shaped servings.

Happy Valentines Day!

-Melanie

This post linked with Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Monday Mania, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Allergy Free Wednesday, and Fat Tuesday.

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