Rich, earthy beets with a hint of maple sweetness and balsamic tanginess. Dill adds just the right amount of freshness to the mix. These beets work on their own as a side dish (sprinkled with a bit of feta, perhaps?) or on top of a salad that may need a bit of extra drama.

This is a quick and easy recipe to pull together although you will want to be careful. The vibrant red that makes beets so alluring is the same hue that sometimes turns our hands, clothes, or kitchen cupboards bright pink!

Hands-on time: 10 minutes

Total time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds raw beets (roots only, not greens)
• 2 tbsp olive oil or neutral-flavoured oil
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1-2 tsp dill

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees f
2. Peel beets (2 lbs) and chop into bite-size pieces
3. Combine olive oil (2 tbsp), balsamic vinegar (1 tbsp), maple syrup (1 tbsp), salt (1/2 tsp) and dill (1-2 tsp) and stir together
4. Pour olive oil mixture over chopped beets and stir
5. Spread beets evenly over cookie sheet in a single layer (cover the cookie sheet with parchment if you want to save some time doing dishes later on)
6. Roast for 40 minutes, stirring partway through
7. Check the beets for whether they are done – the best way to do this is to taste one, if it is ready you will know!
8. If more time is needed return to the oven for 10 minutes
9. Let cool slightly before serving