Beets: Give Them a Chance

When you hear there are beets being served at that potluck, do you give them a “pass?” When you see them in the produce aisle, to you leave them out of your basket? Beets nowadays come in other colors and flavors than the deep magenta ones that you may remember eating from a can as a child. There are golden orange ones, yellow ones, stripped ones and even white ones. 

​Beets are from the same family as Swiss chard and spinach. Similar to kohlrabi and jicama, smaller beets are more tender while larger beets are more woody and tough. If their leaves are thin and fresh, the leaves are tender and can be chopped and eaten raw or cooked, similar to spinach. They lose their freshness quickly (after only a day or two). The roots will last in the refrigerator for a few weeks.

​What do beets taste like? 

​​Some people think beets taste like dirt. Others find them sweet and delicious. My motto about vegetables that people say they do not like is, “It’s not the vegetable, it’s the preparation.” So, if you do not like the taste of beets, try cooking them a different way. 

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How do you prepare beets?

​​Beets can be eaten raw or cooked. Smaller ones can be enjoyed grated into a salad or steamed and chopped into a smoothie, salad or hot dish. Larger ones can be boiled, peeled and chopped. Or roasted (until they are caramelized), peeled and chopped. To keep their color, peel them after they are cooked. And to keep their nutrients, do not overcook them. 

​When the leaves are eaten raw, enjoy them as you would any other green vegetable, chopped into salads or used as a wrap instead of bread/tortilla. You can cook the greens as you would any other greens – steamed or stir-fried.
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The stems can be separated from the leaves and beets, finely chopped and added to raw or cooked dishes for added color and nutrients.

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You can find more details about cooking beets at this link: https://eatrealamerica.com/2016/05/june-superfood-month/

How nutritious are beets?

​Beets are low in calories and a good source of fiber. They are a good source of vitamin C and potassium. They are an excellent source of folate and manganese. 

​The root of a beet is a rich source of a compound that lowers a substance that can be found in the blood which is highly toxic to blood vessels. This substance (Homocysteine) can cause the development of heart disease, among other diseases. The root also helps improve blood pressure, alertness, liver detoxification, and stamina. 

You can find a compelling discussion on some specific nutritional benefits of beets here: https://www.nutrition-and-you.com/beets.html and here: https://www.health.com/nutrition/beets-health-benefits
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When are beets in season?

​You should be able to find beets at the farmer’s market now until around October, particularly if you want to enjoy the fresh leaves. You can usually find them year-round in the produce aisle of your grocery store. As previously stated, the beet roots themselves keep fresh in the refrigerator for a few weeks after purchasing them. 

Try the recipe below for a fresh take on beets.   
​~ Nancy Miller, MS, RDN

Roasted Beets with Mint​

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 lbs roasted beets, skins removed (see below on how to roast them to remove the skins)
• 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon apple cider or balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped mint, fresh or dried
• 1/4 tsp salt, or more to taste
• fresh black pepper, to taste

Instructions
To Roast the Beets:

1. Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Grease a 9’ x 13” baking pan.
2. As the oven is heating up, trim the beets and leave 1-2” of stem, if present. Leave the tails on the beets. Nutrients will be lost if the juices leave the beets while roasting.
3. Wash the beets. Leave the skins.
4. In the greased baking dish, place the beets in a single layer. Cover with foil. (Or used a greased, covered dish.)
5. Place the dish in the preheated oven. Roast the beets for 45 minutes up to 2 hours, checking every 30 minutes and turning them so they cook evenly.
6. At 45 minutes, pierce the largest beet with a fork. If the fork enters easily, they are ready. If not, continue roasting, checking every 10 minutes, until they are tender. Note: Smaller beets are more take less time to roast; larger beets take longer. 
7. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes until cool enough to handle.
8. Protect your clothes from stray beet juice droplets. Your hands will clean up easily enough, or use gloves.
   
9. Remove the skin from the beets while they are still warm (cut off the beet stems and tails first) under cold running water; the skin should easily slide off. If the skin doesn’t easily slide off, the beets are likely not finished roasting. 

To Prepare the Beet Dish:

1. Chop roasted beets into bite-sized pieces and place them in a medium bowl. 
2. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, mint, salt, and pepper.
3. Pour dressing over the beets and onions. Toss salad gently until beets are well-coated. 
4. Serve immediately.
5. Freezes well.