National Nutrition Month® Recipe Series: Thyme-Roasted Beets

Mar 4 8:20am | Abby McWaters, Registered Dietitian | @amcwaters

Written by Mayo Clinic Dietetic Interns

National Nutrition Month® is held every March by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to encourage everyone to learn more about how to make informed, healthy eating decisions and develop positive food and physical activity habits. This year’s theme “Beyond the Table” focuses on the farm-to-fork aspect of nutrition. To celebrate, Mayo Clinic’s Dietetic Interns will be sharing one recipe each week during the month of March that features a local Minnesota crop. This week we are featuring beets!

Although best known for producing over a third of the nation’s sugar beets, Minnesota is also home to red and golden beets. Roasted beets are earthy, tender, and just the right amount of sweet. Eat them as a side dish or part of a salad!

This simple delicious dish takes a unique spin on the natural flavors of Minnesota’s locally sourced beets by roasting them with fresh herbs and spices. Incorporating these nutrient-dense beets rich in vitamins and minerals will help meet your nutritional needs while optimizing a balanced dietary intake. This recipe also promotes optimal heart health as it encompasses olive oil and is relatively low in salt concentration, helping to reduce bad LDL cholesterol while mitigating the pressure exerted on one’s blood vessels which can further reduce blood pressure.

Number of servings: 6

Serving size: ⅓ cup

Ingredients

2 medium red or golden beets
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400° F.
Wash and trim the beets. Wrap each in aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes.
Peel the roasted beets and cut them into medium-sized chunks.
In a medium bowl, combine beets, oil, thyme, salt, and pepper.
Place the beets on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for an additional 5 - 10 minutes, until hot.

Nutritional analysis per serving: