Written by Patricia Pauyo | Reviewed by Melissa Sirolli RDN, CDN, CNSC, CLT
Let’s BEET the Heat!
It is summer time and beets are in abundance! Time to add some beautiful colors to our meals and try new recipes. Beets are root vegetables that are rich in antioxidants and are great for cardiovascular health. They are low in calories and high in fiber, vitamins and minerals.
Fun Facts:
1 – Beets were used for medicine during the Greek and Roman times. People used beets to treat painful disorders, like headaches and toothaches.
2 – The entirety of the plant is edible, from the tips of its leaves, down to its long pointed root.
3 – Beets are in the same family as spinach and swiss chard.
4 – The biggest beet in the world was grown by a Dutchman and weighed over 156 pounds.
Here are 3 different recipes that can be used to add color to your meals:
Gingered Beet and Carrot Slaw
Yields: 6 servings
INGREDIENTS
4 cups grated beets
4 cups grated carrots
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped poblano peppers
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1 – In a large bowl, combine the beets, carrots, onions, poblano peppers and ginger.
2 – In a small bowl combine lime juice, oil, cilantro. Pour onto the slaw
3 – Season with salt and pepper
4 – Serve and enjoy!
Adapted from
https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/doh/downloads/pdf/cdp/stellar-farmers-markets-recipes.pdf
Roasted beet, brown rice & chickpea burgers with crispy kale & thyme tahini sauce
Yields: 6-8 servings
INGREDIENTS
3 ½ – 4 cups chopped beets, once baked it will be about 1 ½ cups
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 15 ounce can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 small bunch of kale, dino or curly
olive oil
salt & pepper
Thyme Tahini Sauce:
¼ cup tahini
1 clove garlic, minced
1 ½ - 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced
Juice of ½ a lemon
1 pinch salt
2-5 tablespoons water, depending on how thick or thin you would like it
INSTRUCTIONS
1 – Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the diced beets onto a large sheet pan and drizzle with a little bit if olive oil and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast beets for about 40-45 minutes, until they are cooked through. Let cool for about 10 minutes.
2 – In a food processor, add the beets, chickpeas, brown rice, thyme, balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper. Process ingredients for about 15-30 seconds until everything is mixed together. You just want to process until everything comes together, not until ingredients form a paste.
3 – Form the mixture into patties; you will get about 6-8 depending on how big you make them. Place patties on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place baking sheet in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, this will make it easier to handle when cooking.
4 – To cook beet burgers, place a large pan over medium heat and coat the bottom with olive oil. Once the pan is hot, add the beet burgers and cook for about 3-5 minutes on each side.
5- Place the crispy kale on the bottom of the bun, top with the beet burger, and spread the top of the bun with the thyme tahini sauce. Enjoy!
Crispy Kale:
1– Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2 – Stack kale leaves on top of each other and cut into ¼ - ½ inch ribbons.
3 – Place kale ribbons on a large baking sheet and drizzle with a little bit of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
4 – Place kale in the oven and cook for about 10-12 minutes, until kale is crispy, flipping once.
Thyme Tahini Sauce:
1 – Add all ingredients into a blender or a medium sized bowl. Mix until combined.
Adapted from:
http://www.shelikesfood.com/1/post/2014/08/roasted-beet-brown-rice-chickpea-burgers-crispy-kale-tahini-dressing-gfv.html
Strawberry Beet Smoothie Pops
Yields: 8
INGREDIENTS
½ cup cashews
1 ½ cups orange juice
2 teaspoons orange rind finely zested
1 cup beets peeled and roughly chopped
¾ cup strawberries quartered
INSTRUCTIONS
1 – Place the cashews in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside for 10 minutes to soften.
2 – Drain and add to blender along with ½ cup of orange juice. Blend until smooth.
3 – Add the remaining orange juice, orange rind, beets and strawberries to blender. Blend until smooth.
4 – Divide between 8 pop molds. If your molds come with sticks and handles, insert them now. Otherwise, freeze for about 40 minutes and insert wooden sticks
Nutritional Content
Serving size: 1 pop
Calories: 103 Fat: 4g Carbohydrates: 13g Dietary Fiber: 1g Sugars: 8g Protein: 2g
Adapted from:
http://www.sidewalkshoes.com/strawberry-beet-smoothie-pops/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=pinterest&utm_campaign=tailwind_tribes&utm_content=tribes