By Francesca Patterson
Now that the season is in full swing, my fridge has been stocked with beautiful, fresh vegetables at all times. It’s a delight when I remember that I have beautiful produce items to cook with instead of having to run out. If anyone has been following my recipes the past few weeks, they can tell I have been fixated on revamping snack foods or classic non-veggie dishes with tasty and nutritious spins. When I’m craving something, it’s not too difficult for me to brainstorm a healthier alternative using the vegetables and fruit I have waiting for me already.
With all the different shades of beets, my mind has been wandering to artistic dishes based on their deep reds and bright yellows. Those colors are not only beautiful, they are actually produced by antioxidant-rich nutrients called betalains. These are known to reduce inflammation and help with detoxification purposes.
Beets have many flavor companions. One of the most well-known, and my personal favorite, is goat cheese. As an appetizer for my family, I whipped up some eye-catching beet sliders inspired by that combo. Pairing creamy goat cheese with spicy arugula and sharp, fresh mint, these beet sliders are a satisfying bite. Read on to find the recipe for this easy and shareable dish.
Ingredients:
- 1 bunch of beets (3-4 medium beets, greens removed, peeled, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds)
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 3 cloves of garlic (minced)
- slider-sized hamburger buns
- goat cheese crumbles
- arugula (for garnish)
- mint leaves (for garnish)
- Dijon mustard
- salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
- Peel your beets and slice them into 1/2 inch rounds. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil, add your beet rounds and cook for 15-20 minutes or until they are tender enough to pierce with a fork.
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix together your garlic and apple cider vinegar. After beets have finished boiling, place the rounds into your apple cider vinegar mixture and allow them to marinate for about 10 minutes.
- Place a tin-foil lined sheet pan in the oven as it preheats to prevent the beets from sticking. Once preheated, take out the pan and lightly grease it. Arrange your beet rounds in a single layer on the baking sheet, and cook for about 15 minutes, or until they have achieved a dark red color.
- If desired, lightly toast your slider buns. Crumble your goat cheese on one slice and spread about a tbsp of dijon mustard on the other side. Finishing assembling your slider with a few leaves of arugula, a few leaves of mint, and a slice of the beet rounds. Serve hot or at room temp.
