Beetroot is a heart healthy, antioxidant rich root vegetable that is usually deep red or purple in color. The beet greens that grow above ground can be used as you would spinach or chard: eat them fresh in a salad, steam them with a drizzle of olive oil or sauté them with some garlic and butter. The beetroot (or beet) is naturally sweet, so it can be added to smoothies and baked goods quite easily, or simply sautéed in butter and garlic with some salt and pepper. Whatever you do, don’t miss out on this amazing vegetable!
Chilled, Sliced Beets are delicious on a salad, especially a spinach salad with black olives and feta cheese! But don’t use a can. It’s quite simple to make them from the fresh beets you found in your basket this week!
Here’s how:
- Remove the beet greens and reserve for another dish.
- Scrub your beets and rub with a little oil, then wrap them in foil.
- Roast at 350F for 1 hour. Let cool and toss in the fridge, foil and all.
- When you’re ready, unwrap the foil, peel the skins off the beets, and slice them in thin rounds. Keep the rounds whole or quarter into bite size pieces, depending on the size of the beet.
- Store in a wide mouthed mason jar and toss on your salad. Use within a week for best results.
If you’re wanting to use beets in a baked goods recipe, like the Chocolate Beet Cupcakes seen here or the Spelt & Beet Pancakes on this week’s menu plan, follow steps 1-4 above (chilling and slicing parts are optional) and toss chunks into a food processor till smooth. Don’t be scared. These are delicious and super moist (not to mention a great way to sneak veggies into your kids’ diets).
Another favorite recipe of mine is the Glazed Beet & Egg Sourdough Toasts that we served at our Irish Pub Themed Party this past year. And there are more Beet related recipes available on the Recipes Archive page, so pick one for the week and try it out. Let us know what you think! Bon Appetit!