And the beet goes on.

When I was in college there was a fad "3 day" diet that I stayed on for a while. One of the required foods was beets. I can still remember the disgusted feeling I would have as I opened the can of bright red circles and forced myself to choke them down. Ugh. I swore to myself that I would never put another beet in my mouth again after I got off of that diet. Well......never say never.

2 years ago I had never seen a fresh beet, nor did I particularly care to, and the idea of actually cooking one terrified me. I can be very silly like that about things....can't we all? What I didn't know at the time was that Gary was happily sowing his beet seeds in anticipation of spreading that red root of love around to all of his CSA customers. When the first bunch arrived I tucked them away in the veggie drawer hoping they would vanish into thin air and I wouldn't have to deal with them. In the end, the beet bunch won the Mexican stand-off we were having and the rest is history! The fresh beet and I have made up and I have apologized for any and all derogatory things I might have said about their distant cousin- the canned beet.

Now, if you're one of those silly people like me who don't try new things because they're too lazy or scared or they tried it once 17 years ago and didn't like it or are afraid it won't turn out perfectly (need I continue?)- take a breath....I'm gonna' tell you how to cook beets so that you can join in on the fun. We all need to have a party in our mouth from time to time and the beet will surely take you there. And.....you won't believe how easy they are-really!

Here's my favorite prep:

First- Try to buy local organic beets. Look for beets with the greens still on- they should look fresh and not wilted. The fresher the green part is, the fresher the root is (which is the beet). The root will keep in the fridge for a couple of days if you don't want to cook it right away. Be sure to remove the greens to keep the root fresher. Cut greens off about an inch above the root.

Second- Wash the beet well removing any dirt. If there's a long stringy root on the bottom you can cut that off. Wrap in aluminum foil. Place on pan and roast in oven (400 degrees) for approx 45 minutes to an hour. They are done when a fork can be inserted easily.

Third- Remove from oven & open foil packs (careful of the steam). Let cool until they can be handled. Rub between your fingers and the peel will come off easily. Slice or chop.

That's it! They are delicious by themselves as a side dish-just add a little sea salt & pepper. I often put them on a salad topped with toasted pumpkin seeds, goat cheese & balsamic vinaigrette. I've also made a sauce of a little butter, honey, orange juice & cinnamon which can be reduced on the stove (boil for about 10 minutes until slightly thick)and drizzled over them for a side dish.

In the picture above I took a bunch of raw beets & peeled them. I grated them in my food processor and added between 1 and 2 tablespoons of whole wheat pastry flour and a large pinch of cinnamon. I heated a little butter in a skillet and formed them into patties and sauteed until slightly brown on both sides- I flipped them a couple of times for even cooking. I served over braised kale (you could also use the beet greens) with a little drizzle of balsamic reduction. This is a kid favorite- we call them beet pancakes & Mac & Annie love them up.

One note about the gorgeous color of the beet.....it will stain anything and everything it touches that is stainable, your hands, your clothes, your countertop, your floor, your shoes, your sink, your light brown poodle or other food- so use caution unless you want your world to be very very red.

Oh, and one more thing: I shouldn't fail to mention that the beet is a nutrition powerhouse. Now, on that note, I believe that you should eat food because it tastes really good not just because it's good for you....the beet gives you the best of both worlds! The roots are a great source of calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorous, carotene, B vitamins, and vitamin C and the beet greens are even more nutritious than the roots!