Beet Green Pesto Pasta with Roasted Beets and Goat Cheese

So, word on the street is, beets are like cilantro.  You either love 'em or you hate 'em.  I disagree.  I think most people are afraid to try them.  Of course, that could just be me refusing to believe there are people out there who hate beets.  Or cilantro, for that matter.  I love them both.  And luckily for me, everyone in my house loves beets as much as I do.  So I can put them in anything I want, anytime I get a hankerin'.

Last time we were at the farmer's market, I picked up a bunch.

The bad thing about buying them at the grocery store is, generally the greens have been removed to hide the fact that they were picked weeks, if not months, ago.

It's a shame, 'cause the greens are so flippin' good.

Like chard, but better.

I have so many beet recipes that I love, but I decided to try something new.

I had seen a recipe earlier this month for Beet Green Pesto Pizza with Roasted Beets and Goat Cheese and added it to our meal plan.

It sounded and looked like heaven.

But the more I thought about it, the more I decided the kids probably wouldn't be as excited as I was about it.

I considered doing the beet version for The Dad and I, then just making separate pizzas for the kids with more traditional toppings.

Then the pasta version came to me in a dream.

Okay, that's a lie, it didn't come to me in a dream.  

It was probably more like in front of the fridge at dinner prep time when I had to make a commitment.

I followed the recipe as if I was making the pizza, but tossed everything with orecchiette pasta.

Uh huh.

Here's dinner on my plate:

Holy lord, that was some goooood stuff.

If you don't have time to make pesto, or just can't get your hands on beet greens, you could knock this meal off by using store bought basil pesto and roasting up some canned beets.

Yes, I said canned.  They're delicious roasted.

And there ya go.

A meal on the table in less than 30 minutes if you go the shortcut route.

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