Beets are a personal favorite due to their multi-use capabilities. Not only is the entire plant edible, but their gorgeous color can also be used as a dye. The red color comes from the pigment Betalain, which can be used as a natural dye for hair or clothes, although I’ve only dyed, or stained rather, my clothes on accident.
You’ve been warned when I say the color will get onto everything. Chopping up beets looks almost like a crime scene and I don’t recommend wearing white while working with them, but a quick hand wash and scrub of the cutting board will take care of the stain. Like hair and clothes, you can use beets to color food too, whether it’s Easter eggs or my beet hummus recipe below.
While eating beets, you'll notice a slight sweetness and earthy taste, and they can be eaten raw or roasted after a good scrubbing. The most commonly eaten part of the beet is the root, but the leaves are 100% edible and carry over the pigment and taste of the beets, too. I find it easiest to chop up the greens, like any meal prep, so they’re ready to go for the week. It’s more motivating and easier to use something that is readily available.
I typically throw them in scrambled eggs or savory oats for some extra fiber, but for this post I wanted to share my go-to saute for the beet greens with a fried egg on top. Fried eggs make everything better, right? As for the root of the plant, a roasted beet salad is difficult to beat (I couldn’t resist), and I have yet to meet someone who is anti-hummus. Eating parts of the the plant that aren’t commonly eaten doesn’t have to be troublesome, rather I view it as getting outside my comfort zone while making comfortable and familiar dishes. It’s as simple as that.
Beet Hummus
2 beets
3 garlic cloves
1 bag dried garbanzo beans
½ cup tahini
At least ½ cup of olive oil (add more for the consistency you'd like)
Lemon juice, salt, pepper to taste
Soak garbanzo beans in water overnight. Be sure to use a larger bowl or container as they will expand. Drain the beans and place in a pot, cover the beans with over a few inches of water and bring to a boil. A sprinkle of salt never hurt. Reduce to a simmer once the water is bubbling and let them sit, covered for 1 ½ hours. The softer they are the better since they’re going to be blended anyways. Drain and let them cool.
Scrub the beets well and chop off the top and bottom. Place beets whole on just a rack in a 375 degree oven. Cook for about 45 minutes. While the beets are roasting roast 3 cloves of garlic in some olive oil for 5 minutes in the oven. Set a timer - it’s easy to forget about them. Blend everything together and add lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste as you go. Feel free to add olive oil until it is your desired consistency. I like the rustic, smokey feel of this hummus - it turned out textured with the skin kept on and the beets added a slightly sweet and smoked taste. Just like any other hummus, this goes well with crackers, vegetable or on sandwiches.
Roasted Beet Salad
3 beets
1 ½ teaspoon of chopped, fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons olive oil
Optional seeds (I used sunflower seeds, roasted and unsalted)
Optional cheese (I had smoked Gouda on hand, but I would also recommend goat or sheep cheese)
Honey
Salt and pepper to taste
Cut the beets in a large dice. I rarely peel my vegetables, but if you’re normal and use a peeler - please remember to compost the skin. Drizzle oil, salt, pepper and rosemary over the beets on a sheet tray and toss until covered. Roast for 35 minutes in a 400 degree oven. Add toppings of your choice to the beets on a plate and finish the plate off with a drizzle of honey.
Sauteed Greens with an Egg
2 cups of chopped greens
3 tablespoon of oil of your choice
1 garlic clove
2 teaspoon ginger
1 egg
Optional chive or scallion to finish
½ tablespoon lemon juice + a squeeze to finish
Salt and pepper to taste
Strip leaves from the stem by placing your thumb and index finger where the bottom of the leaf meets the stem. Pinching the stem, draw your hand up toward the top of the leaf to separate the two. Chop up the leaf and stem separately. I like to do this because the stem is hardier and will take longer to cook. Mince the garlic clove and grate about 2 teaspoons of ginger. Option to chop up chives or scallions.
Now that your prep is done, add 1 ½ tablespoons of oil to the pan and bring to a medium heat. If you’re using the stems for this dish, add those first with a sprinkle of salt. Let those cook for about 3 minutes before adding the rest of the greens, garlic, ginger and ½ tablespoon of lemon juice to the pan. Add salt and pepper to taste as these cook. While those are cooking start your next pan by adding 1 ½ tablespoons of oil and bringing to a medium-high heat. Fry the egg and plate everything together. Finish with chives or scallions and a squeeze of lemon. I ate this as just a warm salad, but if you’re cooking for more than one person I recommend frying a few more eggs and adding rice or noodles to the greens for a hardier meal.
While I’ll miss farmers markets as the Fall season picks up, I’m pretty excited for cooler weather and squash season. You better believe I’ll be here using every part of them and whipping up new and old favorites as far as soup recipes go. What is your go-to squash to work with?
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