This recipe is one that I will make again and again, and truthfully I cannot believe I haven't thought to combine these two vegetable favourites together before now! Roasted Brussels sprouts are a staple in this house, and I'm aways looking for more creative ways to showcase beets, especially since I started receiving my winter CSA veggie box from a local organic farm called Crisp Organics.

This year is the first time I've taken part in a winter CSA, and it's been eye opening to say the least about just how 'local' we actually eat when it comes to produce in the winter time! As much as I consider myself a locavore, when feeding a family it can be a real challenge to create meals kids (and even my husband) will eat night after night that include such veggies as fennel, sunchokes, beets of all colours, parsnips, squash and ... more parsnips ;)

This recipe came about after I received a giant bag of tiny beets in my CSA box weeks in a row, and I hit up my handy Moroccan cook book for a simple recipe I'd tried and loved before. Why not add Brussels sprouts to the mix too? The result was a huge hit. Enjoy!

Moroccan Beets & Brussels Sprouts:

This salad is perfect for feeding a crowd, or for taking to a potluck. Feel free to halve the recipe for a smaller dish. Try to find the small baby beets if you can as they are beautiful when contrasted with the Brussels sprouts that are roughly the same size.

• 20 baby red beets
• 25 Brussels sprouts
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• pinch of salt
• 1 medium red onion, sliced lengthwise
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 6 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup fresh Italian parsley, minced

To cook the beets, fill a large stockpot with water and add the beets. Bring the water to a boil and cook the beets a rolling boil until cooked, roughly 45 minutes to an hour (you can check by pricking the beets with a fork). While the beets cook, heat the oven to 400 degrees and oil a flat rimmed baking tray. Wash, trim and halve the Brussels sprouts. Add the Brussels sprouts to a bowl and toss with 2 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt. Place in the heated oven and roast until brown, about 25-30 minutes. Be sure to toss them here and there during the cooking time.

Fill a small bowl with cold water and add a tsp salt. Add the sliced red onions and soak them while the beets and Brussels sprouts cook. This will take any edge the onion have away and make them sweeter. In a large salad bowl, pour in the 1/2 cup olive oil, the white wine vinegar, the salt, and the cumin. Stir together to mix. Once the beets are cooked, drain them in a colander and rinse under cold water. When cool enough to touch, use your hands to rub off the skins (or a small paring knife can also be easier). A good trick is to run a little trickle of cold water while you do this to avoid beet juice spraying everywhere. Halve the peeled beets and add them to the bowl with the dressing. When the Brussels sprouts are done, remove them from the oven and add them still hot, to the bowl. Drain the red onion and add to the mixture. Stir everything together well and garnish with freshly ground black pepper and the fresh parsley. Serve warm or at room temperature.