Beets give alot! root & greens

[shootingstar]

Am having stir fried red beet greens, tomato, red pepper, onions, garlic and ginger with light pasta, cooked with a tiny dab of chili paste and soy sauce.

I always feel energized having beet greens or the red beet root part in any dish. Love it when a whole vegetable can be used.

But I noticed a few weeks ago some entrepreurial farmers were selling the beet greens separately from the root...which means it is more expensive that way.

[Blueberry]

But I noticed a few weeks ago some entrepreurial farmers were selling the beet greens separately from the root...which means it is more expensive that way.

And sometimes it's actually better that way. You can harvest both at the same time, but usually the greens are best when the beet root would be tiny, and when the roots are an appropriate size, the greens are old and tough. Might not be the farmers trying to "get" you - might just be them selling you the freshest, best product.

[shootingstar]

I've actually never seen much beet greens sold separately when there is a ton of just beet roots of different sizes sold in 1 bag. But good to know about the smaller beets and lovely greens attached. I only started to eat beet greens a few years ago.

[Aromig]

I desperately want to like beets -- but I've never found a great way to cook them that I like. I know how I like to cook various other greens so I presume the beet greens can all be used the same way. How do you cook the roots?

[Blueberry]

I desperately want to like beets -- but I've never found a great way to cook them that I like. I know how I like to cook various other greens so I presume the beet greens can all be used the same way. How do you cook the roots?

I usually roast them (you can roast them whole and then use them, or peel/chop and then roast). Sometimes I slice them thin after roasting and use in a goat cheese tart. Borscht is a nice, traditional use too.

[goldfinch]

I only like very young beet greens. And I only like beets raw, for example, grated on a salad.

[Catrin]

I've only recently been brave enough to try beets. I love the greens, and I've found I prefer the taste of golden over red. Roasted is the way to go - at least for me.

[OakLeaf]

Still got a few small roots in the ground. Deer ate the greens...

[Owlie]

Now that the weather's turned colder, I think I can safely see if I like beets. My first thought is to roast the suckers.
Catrin, do the golden beets have a somewhat milder flavor than their red/purple cousins?

[OakLeaf]

I think Chioggia beets (the ones that are red and white striped inside) might be the sweetest, although IME flavor has a lot more to do with growing conditions and maturity than with variety.

Roasting is a good way to go. But my absolute favorite beet root recipe is to shred them raw and toss them in a lemon juice-walnut oil vinaigrette, either alone or with a lesser amount of shredded carrots. Too cold for salads now, for me...

[Catrin]

Now that the weather's turned colder, I think I can safely see if I like beets. My first thought is to roast the suckers.
Catrin, do the golden beets have a somewhat milder flavor than their red/purple cousins?

Yes Owlie, they do - at least to me. I've not seen the beets that Oakleaf mentioned, and the goldens can be hard to find in the store. Of course they still taste like beets ;) I really like to just saute the greens in ghee (homemade ghee from grass-fed butter) or bacon drippings with onions and mushrooms.

I've thought about trying my hand at making beet kvass (http://nourishedkitchen.com/beet-kvass-recipe/), which is a traditional fermented probiotic tonic. I will eventually try it, it is just the whole fermenting thing that has me nervous as I've never done it.

[Anelia]

I desperately want to like beets -- but I've never found a great way to cook them that I like. I know how I like to cook various other greens so I presume the beet greens can all be used the same way. How do you cook the roots?
You can boil the roots and then put salt, vinegar and smashed garlic. It's a delicious winter salad.
I like grated raw beets and carrot salad but the fibers usually give me stomachache.
Beetroot juice is said to increase VO2Max! Just for cyclists :)

[OakLeaf]

Beetroot juice is said to increase VO2Max! Just for cyclists :)

Runners too! I've drunk beet juice for the week preceding each of my marathons. :)

Just beware, beet juice (and fresh beets) turns some people's urine red. For some reason it only happens to me after long runs - when kidney function is known to change. Freaked me out the first time it happened, I thought it was blood!

[Anelia]

Just beware, beet juice (and fresh beets) turns some people's urine red.
And not only the urine...:D