It is Wednesday and I have already completed this week’s cookbook challenge recipe!  Woop!

This week, I had some fresh produce that was nearing the end of it’s life and needed to be eaten quickly, so I began scouring my cookbooks looking for recipes that called for ingredients that I already had on hand.

I found a recipe for thyme roasted beets, I had all of the ingredients on hand, I was sold!

I purchased these lovely little beets from Basic Roots Community Foods when they stopped by the previous weekend, and I hadn’t had a chance to use them yet.  They were getting a little wilty and desperately needed to be used up before they completely shriveled.

This was actually my first time EVER cooking beets and eating them as a side dish like this.  Prior to this recipe, I had only eaten the kind that are pickled on a salad bar.  While the kind on the salad bar are ok these were literally amazing!!  Brian and I both gobbled them up vowing to repeat the recipe in the near future.

The beets were slightly crunchy, sweet, and completely satisfying.  Not only do they taste amazing (and look pretty!) but I have read in several different places that beets may help prevent heart disease.  Sounds like a superfood if you ask me 😉

Of course, we didn’t just eat beets for dinner.  We had them as a side with another new-to-us dish:  swordfish!

I got a  bit experimental with the swordfish and ended up topping it with a black bean mango mixture that was absolutely delicious.  This meal literally tasted like something you could get at a restaurant.

The swordfish had a mild flavor and hearty texture.  I am sure that you could season any white fish with these flavor combination and have an equally delicious result, but the swordfish just sounds so unique and fancy! At least to me!!

That being said, I think this would be a great dish to entertain with because it looks so pretty and tastes absolutely amazing. I hope you enjoy!

Black Bean Mango Swordfish

Yields:  2 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 swordfish (or any white fish) fillets
• 1 cup black beans
• 1/2 cup chopped, thawed frozen mango
• 1/4 cup chopped white onion
• 1 Tbsp lime juice (plus a little extra for drizzling over the fish)
• 1 tsp garlic salt (plus a little extra)
• 1/4 tsp ground red pepper (plus a little extra)
• 1/4 tsp chili powder (plus a little extra)

Directions:

Sprinkle your fish with some garlic salt, red pepper, and chili powder.  Drizzle with lime juice and cook using your favorite method (grilling, baking, pan-fry, etc).  I baked my fish at 400 for about 20 minutes and it came out perfectly!

While the fish is cooking, combine the black beans, mango, onion, lime juice, garlic salt, ground red pepper, and chili powder.

When the fish is completely cooked through, top with the black bean and mango mixture.  Serve with your favorite side dish and enjoy!

Question:

• What is your favorite way to enjoy beets?  Now that I have eaten them once, I am hooked!  I just need some new ways to eat/prepare them.