Join me on a journey, inspired by St. Hildegard, to bring foods of joy into our lives. They’ll bring you more energy and put a smile on your face!
If you missed my previous posts about Nourishing Foods to Bring You Joy and Revitalization, you can find them here:
The Nourishing Food That’s Good For Digestion and Skin
Bring A Little Spice And Healing Into Your Life
Feel Awake And Alert And Yet Calm With This Herb
The Detox Benefits Of This Pesky Weed
In these cold, winter temperatures, root vegetables are a wonderful, nutritious food to add to your meals.
Beetroots, commonly known as beets, are a brightly colored root vegetable known for its earthy flavor. They’re highly nutritious and packed with essential vitamins and minerals.
They’re easy to add to your diet and delicious when they’re roasted.
Here are 3 of the many benefits of beets.
1. Contains many nutrients – Beets contain many valuable vitamins and minerals your body needs to support brain, digestive, and heart health including potassium, magnesium, vitamin C and B6, iron, copper, folate, and manganese.
2. Lower blood pressure -Studies show that beets can help to decrease elevated blood pressure, leading to a reduced risk of heart disease and stroke. This is likely due to the high levels of nitrates in the vegetable.
3. Help fight inflammation– Beets possess a number of anti-inflammatory properties which could lead to a reduced risk of many conditions such as liver disease and cancer.
Here’s a delicious and simple recipe that you can enjoy this winter.
Roasted Beets and Sweet Potatoes
INGREDIENTS· 1 ½ pounds beets (about 3 large or 5 small to medium)
· 1 ½ pounds sweet potatoes (about 3 large or 4-5 small to medium)
· 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
· 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet or 2 small ones with parchment paper.
- Scrub beets and sweet potatoes. No need to peel.
- Chop them into bite-sized pieces, about ½ inch.
- Place them on the baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Toss until they are evenly coated, then arrange them in a single layer across the pan. For even baking, it’s best to spread out and not crowd them.
- Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring halfway, until tender.
- Add toppings as desired: feta cheese or parsley are lovely additions!
- Serve warm or cool to add as a topping to salad.
Enjoy this nutritious and colorful addition to a winter meal!