Gimme a Beet!

Beets are often underestimated when it comes to adding an exciting, delicious staple to the winter menu. They may not be the most gorgeous thing to look at, as they appear rough, rigid, often irregular.  But these root veggies are dense with nutrients, rich in fiber and potassium, and full of antioxidants.  They come in different varieties and colors, and are also fairly easy to grow in your home garden. Here, I grabbed a nice organic bunch of golden yellow beets from the local store.  I was able to pick out the largest, most striking ones, for the same price per bunch!

For the beets themselves,  I sliced them thinly, lightly greasing a pan with olive oil, and then threw on a dash of salt, before roasting them at 450F for about 25 minutes, or till they come out slightly browned.  They make a delicious, sweet side dish, or a nice addition to a lovely green salad.

As for my main course, I tried something different: Beet greens, which my grandmother often revered as being so full of nutrients!  I always thought it was odd, cause the greens look too 'wild',  too rugged to be any good.  But after all the cooking is done, the greens will taste like a mix between cooked spinach and swiss chard. Beet greens contain good amount of Vitamin A,  as well as carotenoids and flavinoid antioxidants. Now, that is a mouthful, and a stomach full of goodness!

Here, I cut off the greens from the roots, chopped and rinsed them, then sautéed them with garlic, in some good olive oil.  Note that some recipes for beet greens call for onions, but for this very spontaneous dish, I omitted them, just because I wanted to focus on the garlicky flavor when served over plain pasta.

After the greens were cooked till tender,  and the garlic was slightly browned and fragrant (but not burnt), I added sliced cherry tomatoes to the skillet, and tossed together lightly. Adding salt and pepper to taste (or any seasoning of your choice), I removed the greens from the heat, and placed them on top of a small bed of mostaccioli (or any tubular) pasta. You can, of course, substitute traditional pasta for the gluten-free kind.

Finally, I sprinkled some crumbled feta cheese on top of the greens (even goat cheese would work with this recipe). And there it is, a beautiful nest of pasta and greens.

This was a simple, hearty, yet beautiful and super healthy main course.  And, did I mention....it turned out delicious!

RECIPE:

• 2 cups cooked tubular pasta (e.g. mostaccioli, or penne)
• One bunch (about 3)  Golden Beets, with green leafy tops
• Two cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
• Extra virgin cold-pressed olive oil, 2-3 tablespoons
• Handful of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
• Crumbled Feta cheese
• Salt/pepper, and/or any seasoning of preference

Beet Greens:
1) Cut greens off tops of beets. Slice or chop roughly, and rinse well.
2) Heat a flat pan or skillet with olive oil at medium heat.
3) Toss in greens first, stirring for about a minute, then add garlic afterwards. Continue cooking until garlic becomes fragrant, and greens are tender.
4) Add tomatoes and seasoning, and cook for another 30 seconds.
5)  Place pasta in a bowl, like a little nest, and place greens atop pasta, and add crumbled feta.

Beet Roots: 
1) Preheat oven to 450F
2) Rinse and peel beets with a good knife or peeler.
3) Slice thinly (can also use a mandolin for more precision).
4) Place slices on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, and drizzle with olive oil
5) Sprinkle sea salt and black pepper and roast at 450F for about 25 minutes, or until beets are tender and slightly browned at the edges.