Healing food - Beets (Lady Laura)

“Beets are one of nature’s most nutritious and healing foods. There are rich in B vitamin folate, vitamin C, and dietary minerals. Betacyanin, the pigment that gives beets their rich color, helps guard against colon and stomach cancers. The antioxidants in beet fiber help to significantly reduce cholesterol and combat cardiovascular disease. ” (Experience Life magazine)

And: “Beets are delicious raw, roasted, boiled, steamed, juiced, pickled, or canned.”

Hmm. I should try them. I might like them. Do you?

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9 Comments »

YUK!!…all I have to say…YUK

Comment by Tami — June 7, 2007 @ 6:33 am

We make a salad with yellow beets that is delicious!
http://mangiamo.wordpress.com/2007/05/05/beet-salad/

Although, I know that most people think of those nasty pickled beets from elementary school. Those indeed are yuck!

But I’m starting to really like beets if they are prepared properly.

Comment by Anita — June 7, 2007 @ 6:38 am

I use the liquid from a can of beets to color things like icing pink. My children can’t have artificial colors and this works really well. You just gently boil the liquid, stirring, until it reduces to a gel. Add a little at a time until desired color. I’m sure if you added enough it could make something red, but I have heard if you use too much, your food will taste like beets.

I just give the beets to my mom when I do this. If I am correct, beets are not South Beach friendly. But when I am on Phase 3, I would love to try them.

Comment by Brandi — June 7, 2007 @ 6:51 am

I adore beets! They are the yummiest. They might be my favorite vegetable. They make me break into cheers, even. Give me a B! Give me an… –oh, never mind.

Roasted is my favorite kind of beet. Wrap ‘em in foil and cook at 400 until tender (hm, maybe 40 minutes for average beets? check with a fork). Let them cool enough to handle and then peel and slice. Toss with a smidge of butter and salt. If you have leftovers, invite me over. Or, if you don’t want a beet cheerleader as a houseguest, puree your leftovers with stock, plain yogurt, cumin and coriander and a bit more salt to make the most fabulously colored cold soup you will ever see. OOoooo, I’m going to have to buy some beets.

Plus you can eat the greens. They are not as tasty but you can feel virtual because of all that nutritional powerhouse-ness.

Comment by CJ — June 7, 2007 @ 2:44 pm

Just checked my soup recipe and it says to roast large beets for 90 minutes to 2 hours, which is a lot of roasting in the summertime. It really brings out their flavor, though, so if you have a cool day give it a whirl. Mmmmmm, beets.

Comment by CJ — June 7, 2007 @ 2:53 pm

VirtuOUS. You can feel virtuOUS when you eat your greens, not virtuAL.

Comment by CJ — June 7, 2007 @ 7:49 pm

IT would be quite cool to feel virtual though, right?!

Comment by Debs — June 8, 2007 @ 12:08 am

I currently live in Australia and beets are quite common here. They seem to come in a can with beet juice? At McDonald’s they have a McOz burger that has a slice of beetroot on it. (oz is what aussie’s sometimes call Australia) At cafe’s and deli’s, they frequently have beetroot on their sandwiches.

I’m not sure how I feel about beets. I don’t dislike them but they aren’t my favorite either.

Comment by Patricia — June 8, 2007 @ 5:38 am

My husband likes them pickled. I prefer them without the vinegar, cold or hot as a vegetable. Haven’t convinced anyone else in the family about the last one though.

Comment by Elly — June 8, 2007 @ 8:43 am