It is the perfect time of year for a beautiful beet salad. Beets are root vegetables that are used all over the world in many different types of cuisines. Both red and yellow beets are packed with essential vitamins and minerals that you should have in your daily diet.
- Beets contain a bit of almost all of the vitamins and minerals that you need
- A 3.5 ounce serving of cooked beets contain 1.7 grams of protein, 44 calories, 2 grams of fiber, 20% or the RDI of Folate, 16% of the RDI of Manganese and 9% of the RDI of Potassium
- Beets can help reduce heart disease and keep blood pressure in check. The blood pressure-lowering effects are due to the high concentration of nitrates in the beats.
- The nitrates talked about above can also enhance athletic performance. The improve the efficiency of mitochondria which is responsible for producing energy in your cells.
Recipes:
Balsamic Roasted Beets (Joyfoodsunshine.com)
- 3 Beets peeled and diced
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
- 1 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Grease a large baking sheet or dish, set aside.
- Peel and cut 3 beets into 1” cubes.
- Toss beets with 1 TBS olive oil and ½ tsp sea salt.
- Spread onto a greased baking dish in an even layer.
- Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes.
- After 15-20 minutes, stir and bake for 10 minutes more or until beets feel soft to the touch.
- Mix together balsamic vinegar and honey.
- After 30 minutes (or when beets are soft to the touch), remove beets from the oven and add the honey/vinegar mixture to the baking dish.
- Stir until all the beets are evenly coated.
- Return to the oven for 10 minutes, stirring once half way through.
- Roast until the balsamic/honey mixture coats the beets (and isn’t runny).
- Remove from the oven and serve warm or store and serve later over your favorite salads.
Beet Hummus (MayIhavethatrecipe.com)
- 1 medium-large Beet
- 15 ounce can of Chickpeas
- 1/3 cup Tahini
- 1/4 cup freshly squeeze Lemon Juice
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- If using a fresh beet, preheat oven to 400F. Wrap it in aluminum foil and place it on a baking sheet. Cook for one hour or until tender
- Remove the beet from the oven and let it cool. Rub the skin off and dice it into medium size pieces
- Place all the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth and creamy. You may need to add more water, one tablespoon at a time, to achieve the desired consistency
Roasted Beet and Winter Squash Salad with Walnuts (Cooking.nytimes.com)
- 2 pounds Butternut Squash
- 1 bunch Beets
- 2 tablespoons Red Wine or Sherry Vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar
- Salt and Freshly Ground pepper
- 1 small Garlic Clove
- 4 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 tablespoons Walnut Oil
- 3 tablespoons chopped Walnuts
- 2 tablespoons mixed chopped herbs like Parsley, Mint, Tarragon, Chives
- Roast the beets. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut the greens off of the beets, leaving about 1/2 inch of the stems attached. Scrub the beets and place in a baking dish or ovenproof casserole. Add about 1/4 inch water to the dish. Cover tightly with a lid or foil, and bake 35 to 40 minutes, until the beets are tender. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. If not using right away, refrigerate in a covered bowl
- Line another roasting pan with foil or parchment and brush with olive oil. Peel the squash and cut in 1/2-inch thick slices. Toss with 2 teaspoons of the olive oil and salt to taste and place on the baking sheet. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes, turning halfway through, until lightly browned and tender. You can do this at the same time that you roast the beets, but watch carefully if you need to put the baking sheet on a lower shelf. Remove from the heat and allow to cool
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil while you stem and wash the greens. Add salt to the water, and blanch the greens for 1 minute or until tender. Transfer the greens to a bowl of cold water, then drain and squeeze out the water. Chop coarsely
- Mix together the vinegars, garlic, salt, pepper, the remaining olive oil and the walnut oil. When the beets are cool enough to handle, trim the ends off, slip off their skins, cut in half, then slice into half-moon shapes. Toss with half the salad dressing. In a separate bowl, toss the roasted squash with the remaining dressing
- Place the greens on a platter, leaving a space in the middle. Arrange the beets and squash in alternating rows in the middle of the platter. Sprinkle on the fresh herbs and the walnuts. If desired, sprinkle on crumbled feta. Serve
