I just finished reading a delightful book, The Feast Nearby by Robin Mather, in which her pet parrot comes to love beets so much that he learns to say, “…want more beets.” Your family (or pets) may not voice this request, but beets are really a vegetable you should get to know better.
Gluten-Free Beet Salad with Walnuts
This week marks the beginning of fresh beet season at farmers’ markets here in Colorado. Today’s CSA (Community-Supported-Agriculture) delivery included Cylindra (cylinder-shaped) red beets, a type I’ve never heard of but probably eaten and didn’t know it. Beets come in a variety of colors and sizes, but they’re all very nutritious. The garnish of delicate beet tendril s in the photo uses Chioggia beets, a variegated kind usually found in farmers’ markets.
Dr. Andrew Weil says that beets are a good source of folate, manganese, potassium, fiber and vitamin C –nutrients that help protect against heart disease, birth defects, and certain cancers. Their sweet, earthy flavor is wonderful in salads, on a cheese plate, or pureed in a cool, summer soup. For a flavorful beet soup called Borscht see my new book, 125 Gluten-Free Vegetarian Recipe (125 GFVR).
BEETS IN SALADS
My favorite way to eat beets (and perhaps the easiest) is to simply add them to mixed green salads. Put the beets around the perimeter of the salad plate so you can admire their ruby-red beauty. Add crunchy texture with nuts (walnuts here, but pecans also work), perhaps a sharp cheese like feta or blue cheese (Boar’s Head is gluten-free), and any other veggies you like.
Feel free to dress the salad with your favorite vinaigrette or try some of these from 125GFVR, such as the dressing on the Wild Rice Salad (page 101) or the Sorghum Salad (page 99). Or, use your own basic vinaigrette and replace the regular oil with an herb oil (see my June 21 post on this blog). Only instead of the herbs mentioned, use fresh sage to make Sage Oil. Then use the leftover Sage Oil drizzled on your gluten-free pizza or over other summer vegetables.
If you want to get fancy, make candied nuts with my easy recipe:
CANDIED PECANS OR WALNUTS
reprinted with permission from 125 Gluten-Free Vegetarian Recipes by Carol Fenster (Avery, 2011)
2 cups whole pecans or walnuts
? cup agave nectar
½ teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
[1] Lay a sheet of waxed paper or parchment paper on a 9 x 13-inch baking sheet.
[2] Spread the nuts in a large skillet. Toast over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the nuts are hot and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Don’t let them burn. Add the agave nectar and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the nuts are lightly caramelized, about 3 minutes. Immediately, remove the pan from the heat and sprinkle with the cinnamon, if using. Transfer the nuts to the waxed paper to cool thoroughly. Store leftovers at room temperature, tightly covered.
A FINAL THOUGHT
Many people shy away from preparing fresh beets because they are messy. I solve that problem in two ways:
[1] Use plastic gloves. I buy a box of medical gloves at the drugstore (they’re inexpensive) and don a pair so protect my hands from the red beet juice that will surely stain them. And, I use cutting boards that are dark in color to avoid staining. I roast the beets in foil, then toss the foil. Keep the skins on until after they’re roasted to protect their robust color and help prevent that color from bleeding.
[2] Buy canned beets and avoid the mess. Give yourself permission to bypass the fresh beet process if you wish. Be sure to read the label to know whether you’re buying plain or pickled beets.
If your family hasn’t warmed up to beets yet, try my stealth maneuver. Add them to your morning smoothie. They will make the smoothie a dark red, so use them in blueberry or raspberry or chocolate smoothies which are naturally dark. Any way you eat beets is fine. Just eat them, OK?
