Best-Ever Way to Eat Beets!
by Katherine Rowe, LAc
Beets are an amazing superfood yet we rarely incorporate them into our weekly diets. One good reason to eat beets is for their high iron and copper content to fortify our blood. Another reason is for the Betaine, an amino acid in beets that has anti-cancer properties. Eating beets regularly even helps prevent atherosclerosis as it acts as a powerful solvent for inorganic calcium deposits that cause our arteries to harden. Plus beets are incredibly sweet and delicious! This 2 step dip/spread is my favorite way to prepare beets and celebrate their beautiful crimson color.
Toss lightly with oil and roast in a baking dish covered with foil at 375° for 1 hour:
- 3 cloves of garlic, peeled
- 1 onion roughly chopped
- 3 big carrots chopped into pieces
- 3 medium beets or 2 big ones, peeled and chopped into 1 inch cubes
- 1 Tablespoon of oil
In a food processor add roasted veggies and 1 can white kidney (cannelloni) beans and 1 clove of fresh garlic. Optional additions at this point are silken tofu, roasted walnuts, or goat cheese- you really can’t go wrong. Process until smooth adding about ½ tsp salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.
Eat as a spread on sandwiches, dip for crackers or veggies, and as an alternative to tomato sauce. We make pizza at home with it and top with veggies and feta cheese- delicious and nutritious!