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TopDiscover Beets
Earthy and hearty, beets are great in so many versatile dishes, from soups to salad to stew… and even dessert.
10 ways to use beets
Versatile and delicious, beets can be boiled, roasted, baked, and eaten raw. They are perfect for traditional beet borscht, but there are so many other things you can also do with beets.
Try them in these ten innovative ways:
1Raw in salads
Beets do not need to be cooked! Thinly sliced or julienned threads of beat add a delicious crunch and beautiful red hue to salads.
2In a soup
Traditional borscht is made from deep red beets, but you can also try it with golden beets for a new twist on an old classic.
3Paired with goat cheese
Boil beets and slice into rounds. Top each round with a dollop of creamy goat cheese and a drizzle of balsamic syrup or glaze. Add a sprinkle of cayenne and some crunchy nuts for a perfect contrast of flavours and textures.
4In baking
Some say that the secret to the richest and most moist brownie is… beets!
5Roasted
The sweetness of the beet is brought out when it’s been in the oven for a while. In a roasting pan, combine beets with olive oil. Bake at 400°F for about 40 minutes, or until softened.
6Pick them
Some vinegar, sugar and salt is all it takes to make beet pickles. Add some onion too.
7Enjoy them on sandwiches
Shred beets and add the deliciously red slaw as a sandwich topper.
8Eat the greens
Both the root and the bulb are edible. Sauté beet greens with olive oil and garlic for a delicious side dish.
9On pizza
Beets make a unique pizza topping. Their earthiness marries well with whole grain crust.
10Homemade beet chips
Crunchy and bright, you can bake thinly-sliced beets into crispy chips in about 25 minutes.
Beets are cousins to quinoa
Why do beets and quinoa taste so good when they are mixed together in a salad? It’s because the share the same roots! They are both part of the chenopod family, which also includes chard and spinach. Try adding roasted beets and goat cheese to cooked quinoa, and add a sprinkling of fresh parsley for a wonderful lunch.
Beets contain antioxidants
The pigments that give beets their rich colours are called betalains. They can be either red or golden in colour. Betalains function both as antioxidants and anti-inflammatory molecules, so are protective to the body… for some of us.
It's interesting to note that people appear to vary greatly in their response to dietary betalains. Only 10-15 percent of adults are estimated to be "betalain responders," which means they have the capacity to absorb and metabolize enough betalains to gain full antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.
In other cases, the betalains have less antioxidant potential, but beets are still healthy for other antioxidants that they contain, such as manganese and vitamin C. Plus, they contain other vitamins and minerals, which include folate, potassium and magnesium. They are also a source of fibre. Few vegetables can beet that!
Betalain pigments in beets are highly-water soluble, which is why your hands get all red when you cook or peel beets, and the cooking water turns bright pink too. Betalains are also temperature sensitive. For both of these reasons, it is important to treat beets as a delicate food, even though they might seem "rock solid" and difficult to damage.
Pair beets with avocado
Beets are loaded with different antioxidants, which require a source of fat to be properly absorbed by the body. Enter avocado, a healthy monounsaturated fat that helps the body absorb the important antioxidants from the beets.
Tips for buying and storing beets
When buying and storing beets, here’s what you need to know:
- Choose small or medium-sized beets; they are quicker to cook than large beets.
- Don’t choose beets that have fuzzy mold, bruises or soft areas all indicators of spoilage.
- If you buy beets with stems, cut most of the greens, leaving about two inches of the stem attached.
- Store beet greens separately.
- Do not wash beets before storing.
- Store beets in a plastic bag and wrap the bag tightly around the beets.
- Beets will keep in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
Healthy Bite
Raw beets do not freeze well since they tend to become soft upon thawing.
Freezing cooked beets is fine; they'll retain their flavor and texture.
More about beets
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