Beets
Health Benefits
Beets are rich in folate, manganese, and copper. These are essential vitamins and minerals that promote health, especially heart health, nervous system health, and energy formation in the body. They also have lots of fiber, promoting digestive health.
Cooking Methods
There are a variety of ways to prepare and use beets. Beets can be used peeled or with the skin on. To peel a raw beet,
simply use a vegetable peeler. To peel a cooked beet, first boil them. Once they are fork-tender, place them in a large
bowl filled with cold water. Once they are cool, the skin will peel away from the beet with ease.
Beets can be chopped and eaten raw, roasted, or used in other ways. Roasting is a popular method of cooking beets.
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Slice your beets into cubes and toss the cubes with some olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread
on a baking sheet in a single layer, and roast in the oven for 35-40 minutes, or until tender.
Seasonings
Try one of these seasoning ideas, or mix & match and come up with something new!
- Honey lemon glaze - Follow roasting instructions and drizzle onto beets when five minutes remain on time in the oven. Return to oven for the last five minutes.
- Thyme, orange zest, salt, and pepper
- Italian seasoning, rosemary, salt, and pepper
Storage & Preservation
Whole, raw beets can be stored at room temperature or in the fridge. The leaves and stem should be trimmed away, but the root should not be cut into. The beets will last up to five days at room temperature or 1-3 months in the fridge. Use them before they become soft.
Cooked or cut beets should be stored in the fridge, and used within three days.
To freeze beets, first blanch them. To blanch beets, bring a pot of water to a boil and fill a bowl with ice water. Cut your beets into cubes, and boil the cubes for 3 to 5 minutes. Then transfer them to the ice water and allow them to cool completely. Drain them, and lay them in a single layer to freeze them. After about two hours, transfer them to a bag or container. Properly blanched and packaged, they can be stored in the freezer for up to ten months.
