In Praise of Beets

Having spent his childhood in Ukraine, my husband has long known what most Americans are only just now figuring out, that beets are a delicious and versatile treat with the added bonus of great health benefits. They made #1 on the New York Times list of the 11 Best Foods You Aren't Eating and appeared again this month with Beet Recipes Even a Beet Hater Can Love.

My favorite author Tom Robbins has a special affinity for beets, describing them as "the most intense of vegetables." (Jitterbug Perfume)

I was therefore excited when we began getting beets in our CSA share from Hearty Roots. If it was winter I would have undoubtedly gone ahead and made them into borscht, although I still have not been able to equal my mother in law's borscht (she's given me her recipe, but her written English tends to leave much to interpretation). Since we both tend to prefer our borscht hot and this is not a summer for hot soup, I began to explore some other simple options.

I have heard my husband frequently exclaim how much he loved roasted beets, so I decided to give it a try. I followed these simple instructions for roasting beets and then tossed them into a salad using the lettuce, carrots and cucumbers from our CSA share. The result was quite delicious, and (if you don't mind temporarily dying your fingers red) incredibly easy. They make a great addition to any salad and are loaded with folate, a vital nutrient for expectant mothers and women planning to become pregnant.

Now if I could just figure out what to do with those turnips!