The Beet goes on

Spinach and beets, especially beets, are two I selected for extended harvest. I may still scratch a furrow in the bed to scatter a few seeds. Beets don’t do well in hot weather, preferring instead the cooler days of spring and fall.

There are few things better fresh from the garden than baby beet greens drizzled with vinegar and butter. The pigment that gives beets their rich, purple-crimson color-betacyanin - is also a powerful cancer-fighting agent, especially colon cancer. They also contain powerful nutrient compounds that help protect against heart disease and birth defect.

Beets have the highest sugar content of all vegetables, yet are very low in calories. Their value grew substantially in the 19th century when their concentrated source of sugar was discovered, and the first sugar factory was built in Poland. While in Germany two years ago I remember seeing huge mounds of sugar beets at the ends of fields. The piles were an impressive sight.

Serving suggestions for beets include:

Grating them raw for a delicious and colorful addition to salads or decorative garnish for soups; adding chunks of beet when roasting vegetables in the oven; serving homemade vegetable juice - a quarter of a beet will turn any green drink into a sweet pink concoction, pleasing both the eyes and the taste buds. Sauté beet greens with other braising greens such as chard and mustard green or marinate steamed beets in fresh lemon juice, olive oil, and fresh herbs.

A natural byproduct of eating beets is “beeturia”, a red or pink color that appears in your urine or stool. The condition is harmless.

Here’s a great recipe for beets in an autumn salad: You’ll need two medium beets, three tablespoons apple cider vinegar, three tablespoons cold pressed olive oil, one tablespoon raw honey, dash herbemare (sea salt and herb concoction found in whole food stores) and a dash of freshly ground pepper.

Peel the fresh beets and cut them into thick slices to fit into food processor. After shredding, you should have three – four cups of shredded beet for your beet salad recipe. Place shredded beets into a large bowl.

Whisk the remaining ingredients together in a small bowl. Taste the flavors and adjust to your liking. Pour the vinaigrette dressing over the beet recipe and toss gently. Put in a covered dish and refrigerate until ready to serve.