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I went to see No Strings Attached on Saturday night. I will say that it was okay…your typical chick flick. I’m sure you can guess how it ends ha. Ashton Kutcher looks pretty darn good in it though!
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Shopping was fun but I left with only 2 items; a discount shirt from AE and an adorable belt from Express. Other than that, I struck out. Nothing was really calling my name…
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Cooking/baking. I made my favorite paella dish, I fell in love with roasted beets, and made Jessica’s gooey butter cake as a “welcome home” for Brandon….AND because I needed a recipe to share at some point this week!
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Sad moment of the weekend: the Bears did not make it in to the Super Bowl. Now, I will not kid you in to thinking I am a sports fan (I’m REALLY not…ask my family), BUT when your significant other is manically obsessed with a team, you start to hope for HIM that they do well. So it was a somewhat disappointing evening. However, I was secretly excited because I grew up in a family that enjoyed the Packers. So even though Brandon would kill me: Go Packers!! I definitely want to see them kick the Steelers butt!
GO BEARS....better luck next year! 
So that was my weekend in a nut shell, sorry if I bored you with details!
So back to the purpose of my blog…which documenting my life it is NOT. Let’s talk about roasted beets!! (sorry this is not my picture AGAIN…Brandon had my camera ALL weekend!)
source: http://img4.myrecipes.com/i/recipes/ck/07/10/beet-salad-ck-1662820-l.jpg
As I have mentioned before, 2011 is the year I want to expand my produce palate!! This weekend I chose beets because my friend Laury at The Fitness Dish raved about how delicious they were blended up with several other ingredients in her juicer. Since my NEW KitchenAid Blender/food processor is stored away at my parent’s house, I had to use my OLD blender. Let’s just say…it didn’t work.
SO plan B was to roast them! I did as Laury suggested: baked 400 degrees for about an hour and season with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary. Can we say AMAZING? Literally, my new favorite roasted vegetable! I know you may turn your nose up to beets but trust me when I tell you that they were extremely delicious!! The taste reminded me of a roasted potato. The beets took on the flavors of the rosemary beautifully and I would almost say they were sweet?!?!
Even though my descriptions are lacking, just believe me that they were dynamite eaten all by themselves or on top of a lovely bed of greens. I am so grateful to Laury for opening my eyes to this wonderful vegetable!
More than just flavor, here are a few more reasons to make beets a weekly addition to your produce picks:
source: http://www.thebestjuicerreviews.com/image-files/health-benefits-of-beet-juice.jpg
- Beets contain Vitamins A, C, and niacin, magnesium, calcium, iron and phosphorous! (another non-dairy source of calcium!!)
- The amino acid betaine, found in the beet root, has anti cancer properties.
- Studies have shown that beets can help inhibit the development of stomach and colon cancers AND lower cholesterol.
- Wonderful source of fiber to help keep you regular!!
- Studies have also shown that including beets in your diet helps protect against heart disease.
- Recommended for pregnant women because it is high in folic acid, which is a nutrient that can help prevent neural tube defects!
- The beets purple-ish pigment is thanks to betacyanin, which can increase the oxygen-carrying ability of the blood by something like 400%!
- The leafy stems can be eaten like spinach and contain potassium, iron, vitamin C, folic acid, and beta-carotene.
QUESTION:
Have you tried beets? If so, what do you think?
Any new vegetables you’ve discovered recently?
I recently tried beets again, because I didn’t like them when I was growing up. Still don’t like them. They literally taste like dirt to me (I think someone else posted a similar comment, so I’m glad it’s not just me!).
Love roasted beets!
Next time, roast them, dice ‘em up and spread some goat cheese on a crostini topped with the diced beets. It makes a great appetizer.
I’m scared to try beets again, I tried to make them for myself and I just didn’t love them. Everyone around me does-I may have to give them another try.
I’ve never tried beets but I’ve heard a lot about them lately and I think I’ll give them a shot!
Am i the only person in the world to never have had beets? I am nervous! But i guess it couldn’t hurt!! I will try your exact way of making them!!
I love beets! I find you either love them or hate them. My sis-in-law thinks they taste like dirt haha
I know EXACTLY what you mean! My husband is a HUGE Bears fan and he was heartbroken yesterday. He’s been so excited saying that we were going to have a repeat of 1941 and etc etc… but no.. sadly for the him, the Bears lost.
And like you, I’m not football fan, but it is sad to see your husband so down about it.
Another fellow Chicagoan Sad about the loss
… It was a horrible game for us to watch 
I love beets Greek’s have some really great Beet dishes that my Yiayia (grandma in Greek) loves to make. I really enjoy eating them with cheese and bread! Perfection!
Just came across your blog and I love it! If you want some great recipes for Veggies I have a great Zucchini pattie recipe that I am posting tonight on my blog! a perfect little appetizer!
I actually just doscovered that I like beets. I throw them in salad all the time now. So yummy!!
I want to like beets. I feel like I should like them. I like every other vegetable. But I just can’t handle beets. I tried them again recently (at a nice, organic restaurant where they served them roasted as a side dish) but alas, no. Still don’t like beets.
I’m pretty sure a hatred of beets runs in my family. Every single person I’m related to can’t even look at them! I’m amenable to trying them again, though. I put them in cupcakes once and they didn’t turn out too well…
I’m ashamed to say….I have not
I posted on lentils a while back…I can barely eat the healthy stuff I used to…this pregnancy thing has changed my taste buds tremendously! 
Making me crazy! So I can’t commit to trying a lot of new stuff right now! 
I recently tried beets in a salad and just loved them. I am sure they are even better roasted!
I also saw No Strings Attached. For some reason, I still love chick flicks even though they are soo predictable.
I definitely know how you feel about missing someone!
Ah… da’ Bears… it really was a tragic end to the season.
Oh well… next year is right. (Chicago fans are used to this saying, right?)
I love beets. LOVE them. My mom used to make them every now and then when I was little and I would get so excited. I especially love them with feta cheese. Its almost unfair how good they are like that.
They are soooo delicious roasted! I was deathly afraid of beets my entire life b/c my mom ate canned ones with sour cream and they smelled can-y. ugh. Now roasted with feta and spinach and a tiny bit of watery ranch… omg. heaven!
I love those facts about beets, especially about the purple pigment, so cool! I used to hate beets when I was younger cause my parents made me eat them, but I really like them now.
eww yes, try fresh beets!
I’ve never tried fresh beets before – only the gross canned ones. Maybe I should give this recipe a try.
And the Pack is Back.
I hope you looooooooved the gooey butter cake!
I am so excited to go see No Strings Attached!! I’ve tried beets before and while they’re certainly not my favourite, I don’t mind the roasted kind. Pretty sure carrots are my #1 fave! Glad you had a great weekend Erin!
I am a Vikings fan but I live in Chicago so it was kind of a bummer to see them lose…I love beets! I just wish I could get my BF to eat them! haha
I’ve only had boiled beets, and they were not the greatest. I’ve heard nothing but good things about roasted beets though, so I may have to give them another shot.
The first time I tried beets was Thanksgiving 2008 and for a little over a year, I was absolutely obsessed with them!! Haven’t had them much since then, but they sound like they’d be really great roasted.
Yey!! I am so happy to turn you onto the wondrous world of beets
You are making me want to roast them this week again. It’s been a while…my juicer has seen them a lot though 
Thanks so much for the shout out. You are the best.
I know what you mean about being away from your hubby. I will admit, a night away once a year or something can be nice. However, I could never be one of those wives whose husband travels all the time for work. Michael is in sales, and in the future it is quite possible for that to happen. Hopefully it doesn’t. He is my life line too
I think I will wait to see No Strings Attached–when it is free On Demand. Renting movies has become SO expensive lately. $6.99. Nuts. It’s always fun to see a chick flick with the girls though! Have a great day!
I have yet to try beets!! I might have to put those on the “to-try” list. My most recent discovery was eggplant lol. I am picky what can I say?!!?!?!
I’ve never roasted beets, but when I tried them raw, thinly sliced, I realized they weren’t as bad as I thought!
Oh absolutely! I am making them for my husband tonight!
I LOVE Beets!!!! I could eat them anyway..but I definitely should try them this way. Maybe I can convince the hubby to eat them too!
YAY Packers! I’m glad you secretly are happy they’re going, because I love the Packers