Beet-Goat Cheese Crostini

Surprised at all the beet recipes? I must admit, my local CSA-like box came filled with them, so I've been searching for new and interesting ways to use them. However, this exercise in beet-recipe searching has turned out to be a wonderful surprise. They're delicious! Sure, they stain your hands (for a while!) but they are well worth it. They're tender and delicious served in nearly any manner. And, did I mention that they are full of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, dietary fiber, and anti-oxidants?

I made these along with one of my favorite recipes - tilapia en papillote, made with roasted banana and a yogurt-peanut butter sauce. However, these could easily hold their own with nearly any entree. Or, forget the dinner, and serve these delights at your next cocktail or wine party. They make great hors d'oeuvres.

Difficulty: easy
Time: 1 hr 20 min
Cost: $16.37

Nutrition and recipe below the jump!



Beet-Goat Cheese Crostini
Ingredients:
2 medium red beets
4 oz goat cheese
1 tbsp fat free mayo
1 tsp Thyme, dried
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp lemon rind
1 tsp lemon juice
1 loaf baguette

First, you must get your beets going. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Clean the beets slightly and trim the stem fairly close to the beet. Put in a baking dish and add 1 cup of water with the beets. Cover with foil and bake 45 min - 1 hr. The beets should be fairly tender by the time they are done.

While the beets are roasting, you can prepare the cheese spread. Combine the goat cheese, fat free mayo, Thyme, garlic, and 1/8 tsp of black pepper in a small bowl. Mix until evenly combined and then set aside for now.

You'll also want to prep the beet marinade. Put the balsamic vinegar, lemon rind, lemon juice, and remaining black pepper into a bowl. Whisk until even.

When the beets are done cooking let them cool just until you can touch them. Rub off the skin - it should now peel easily. Slice them into 1/8" slices and put them in the bowl with the balsamic vinegar mixture. Gently toss to coat the beet slices.

Slice the baguette into 20 slices. (This may vary depending on the length of your baguette.) Spread the cheese mixture evenly on each slice. Top each slice with beets, splitting them evenly among the crostini.

Serve and enjoy.

Servings: 10
Serving size: 2 pieces
Nutrition: calories 122; carbs 20g; fat 2g; protein 5g; sodium 299mg; iron 1 mg