Helping Hands in the Kitchen: Beets

August 30, 2022

Let’s learn some recipes to try these delicious vegetables!

WAYS TO USE BEETS:

In SALADS:

Grated they are flavorful and add color. Pickled, sliced, or quartered/bite-sized. They are great in any ‘greens’ – and/or cabbage.

In DIPS:

Blended with Greek yogurt and fresh garlic is great with fresh vegetables, crackers, meats, chips . . .

As JUICE:

Good to sip as a juice or use in smoothies.

The LEAVES:

The beetroot leaves are not only pretty, but you can cook them and eat them like fresh spinach or other greens like Collard – maybe a little apple cider vinegar, and salt. Bacon for seasoning . . .

ROASTED:

Wedge the beets, and toss with little olive oil – even flavored olive oils, salt, pepper, herbs, or spices of choice. Roast 400 deg F. 15-20 minutes until tender.

BOIL:

The nitrate content goes down when you boil the beets but I like to boil them if pickling. Remember, they have a skin (no pit) so you need to get the skin off. I don’t like to peel them without first loosening the skin – like boiling.

As VEGETABLE:

Like Harvard Beets (recipe below), or Buttered Beets. Or thick ‘steaks’, fried in butter with salt and pepper.

SNACKS:

Slice very thin and bake or fry into chips for snacking. Toss with olive oil and/or seasonings and bake 10-15 minutes at 400 deg F. Salt lightly and enjoy!

Be careful, red beets may color your hands and clothes. Wear kitchen/food prep gloves and aprons or wash your hands often.

Example of pickled beets

PICKLED BEETS

I’ve been making PICKLED BEETS for many many years. My mother used to make them. Make, taste, adjust to your palate, and then make notes so you always make them the way you enjoy their flavors!

You can make it in any amount – pickled vegetables keep well in the refrigerator.

Ingredients

  • 4 medium beets – maybe about 2 pounds, roasted or boiled, peeled, sliced, or cut in wedges – 1-2 bite-size
  • 1 cup apple cider vinegar OR use a rice wine vinegar and/or white balsamic vinegar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/3 cup sugar – or more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon dry ground mustard (OPTIONAL)
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 5 whole peppercorns (OPTIONAL)
  • 5 whole cloves
  • 1 Tabelspoon whole allspice

Instructions

  1. Combine the marinade ingredients and bring them to a boil. Simmer to make sure the sugar is dissolved. You can taste it at this point and make sure you like it. Adjust as you desire.
  2. Let cool.
  3. Use clean jars or containers with tight lids. Put the beets in the containers and cover them with the marinade. Let set on the counter for 24 hours. Then refrigerate.

SAUTEED BEETROOT GREENS

These can be prepared and eaten like spinach or other vegetable greens like Collard you might already know you enjoy! So, if you’d like to try these make sure you pick up BEETS that still are attached to the greens they are grown with.

Ingredients

  • Olive Oil to coat the pan
  • 2 bunches of beets – use the beets in another preparation and use the greens here – wash the greens and cut into about 2” pieces
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ½ lemon, zest and juice
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Combine the garlic, lemon zest, and juice. Set aside.
  2. Add olive oil to a sauté pan and add the beet greens to sauté.
  3. Sauté on medium low – medium heat until wilted. About 5-8 minutes.
  4. Add the garlic lemon zest and juice and salt and pepper. Taste and adjust for flavoring.

HARVARD BEETS

Harvard Beets resemble pickled beets but are a vegetable served hot and the sauce is thickened.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound or 4 cups cooked, peeled, and sliced beets
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/3 cup water
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
  • 2-3 Tablespoons butter

Instructions

  1. Wash the beets. Remove the leaves but leave the stems and roots for boiling. (Note: Because the color is so dark if you cut off the roots and stems the beets will bleed into the water.)
  2. Cover with water and bring to a boil in a large pan on the stovetop.
  3. Boil about 30-45 minutes, until tender – take a small sharp knife and test the beets in the water for tenderness.
  4. Drain – be careful – it’ll be hot.
  5. Cool. Slip the skins off – generally they come off easily if the beets are tender. Otherwise, you may need to use a paring knife to get all the skin off the vegetable.
  6. Slice and set aside in a bowl.
  7. Combine the sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Whisk in the vinegar and water.  Cook until thickened.
  8. Add the sliced beets. Bring to a boil. Turn heat down and simmer 5-10 minutes. Taste and adjust flavors if needed.
  9. Serve and enjoy!

DARK CHOCOLATE BEET BROWNIES

There are many recipes that use vegetables – it’s a great way to get in some vegetables – without knowing it!

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces boiled peeled beets – 2 medium is about right
  • 1 cup butter
  • 8 ounces dark chocolate or dark chocolate chips
  • 1 ½ cups whole wheat white flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 4 eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed

Instructions

  1. Boil the beets, cool, slip the skins off and puree – should be about 1 cup.
  2. Melt the butter and the chocolate in a saucepan. Let cool.
  3. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and brown sugar.
  4. Preheat the oven to 350 deg F. Grease a 9x9x2” pan with parchment – grease the parchment also.
  5. In a mixer or with a hand mixer, or even by hand – combine the melted and cooled chocolate and butter, the beets, the eggs and vanilla.
  6. Then add the dry ingredients and combine until just combined – about 2 minutes of “beating”.
  7. Put in prepared pan and bake for about 25-30 minutes. Cool about 5-8 minutes before cutting.
Example of beet smoothie

BEET SMOOTHIE

You can make it your own flavors – I’m sharing some options. You need the beets to be cooked – boil or roast, cool, and peel. For this recipe, you decide the quantities. You’ll need a blender – some equipment to blend up the smoothie. 

Ingredients

  • Greek yogurt, plain or flavored
  • Nut butter, cashew, almond, or your choice
  • Beets, diced
  • Green apple, diced
  • Banana
  • Frozen pineapple
  • Water, milk, or juice
  • Ice

Instructions

  1. Blend ingredients until it’s a smoothie!

ROASTED BEETS

Roasted Beets are easy to make, can be eaten with butter, salt, and pepper, or can be cooled and the skins removed to use in recipes other than a buttered vegetable. Beets are Red or Golden.  The taste is similar; Golden is a little milder. Combined, they are out of this world!

Ingredients

  • 8-12 beets, depending on size – I prefer smaller beets for roasting as a side dish
  • 3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • ½ lemon juice
  • 1 orange juice

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 deg F.
  2. For this recipe be sure to peel the beets with a vegetable peeler and remove roots and tops.  Cut in 1 ½” chunks, or halve, or quarter – depending on the size of the beets.
  3. Put on a baking sheet. Toss with the olive oil and salt and pepper.  If you want to add some fresh herb like thyme, do it here. I prefer the salt and pepper only, myself.
  4. Bake 35-40 minutes, turning once, roast until tender. Toss periodically and when done. Serve warm.
  5. You could add butter at the end to toss.

Bon Appétit
With Love,

Granni K

Download the recipes here.