Beets haven’t always been top-of-preference for my palette. I read somewhere that people either love the taste of beets or think they taste like dirt, and I used to be in the latter camp. But these days, beets are most desirable and I am looking for a calendar dedicated entirely to them, preferably wearing suspenders … and only suspenders.
Problem is, I had no idea how to cook them and preparing them leaves my kitchen counter looking like a game of Clue.
“It was in the kitchen! With the carving knife! And included spinach salad … ?”
But the Internet! This is what it was made for: Googling problems and then solving them with pixel power. A quick search for “simple beets recipe” on Google images brought me to photos, and then to recipes, that were manageable with my limited kitchen talents. (I prefer to search by images because if the image looks simple and easy, then the recipe hopefully is as well. Also, images help me weed out evil food things, like weird, crumbly cheeses.)
Raw beets are what I’m craving, so a simple wash, peel, slice-and-dice plan of attack works perfectly and makes the beets easy to toss into a spinach salad. I’ve read on several sites that cooking the beets strips away a lot of their power (read: they can’t fly and their x-ray vision goes to shit), but this salad looks awesome and I’m trying this one later today (minus the crispy toast bit).
Desperately, this morning I sliced and ate a beet on top of toast with cream cheese. Which might read as disgusting and vile, but slap some olives on the side and chase it with a decaf iced coffee and that meal fast becomes a breakfast my pregnant-self craves, while my pre-pregnancy self shudders in the corner and makes faces of disgust.
I recommend gold beets if you can find them. I make those often. None of the stained kitchen and hands. I give them a scrub, cube , toss with olive oil and black pepper, and roast. I don’t even peel them (or red beets since they’re messy). The green tops are good sautéed with garlic, or chopped into soup, rice, pasta, etc.
I looked at gold beets in the store but was afraid they would taste different. They are just as sweet?
They taste a bit different, but delish. I’m making that breakfast monday! Sounds great!
Orange beets are sweeter! When it warms up try growing them. Super easy. When leaves are young thin plants by cutting them and either put them in a salad or drop in boiling water to soften and put a pat of butter on them. Either way delicious. Congrats on the baby! Love the blog.
1. Dude I knew in college ate beets with cottage cheese, and it was quite tasty.
2. This recipe came to mind when I read your post. Have never made it but I’ve made many of Laurie Colwin’s other recipes, and they were all fantastic: http://technically.us/eat/x/mom-cooks-pasta-with-beets/.
I always hated beets until I tried them roasted. Then the angels sang and the heavens opened. While your breakfast does sound nasty to me, (raw beets on toast? with OLIVES? *shudder*) you give your baby what it wants and enjoy.
P.S. Roasted beets with weird crumbly cheeses are delicious. Especially in a salad.
I’m with you on everything but the crumbly cheeses. They disgust me. I wish they didn’t, but they so do. 🙂
I have been reading this blog for many years and you have never written a post more graphic and gross. I can get the roasted ones down if I absolutely have to (say, hypothetically, if my priest invited me to dinner and served them as the only appetizer), but raw? Who are you? Do you have pica?
You better have a beet-filled breakfast on 7/16 because if you make it to then without an appearance by Baby Sparling, you will find there are NO beets at our wedding. No joke– it’s written into our contract. It’s basically the only thing that Bobby and I have in common.
Roasted/baked beets are delicious when you put a splash of balsamic vinegar on them as soon as them come out of the oven.
I’m giving you guys beets as your wedding gift. And I am dressing up as a giant beet. And since I’ll be 8 months pregnant, I will be a GIANT BEET, Spazzles. xo
I roast them. Slice, drizzle with olive oil, garlic If you like. I’m very excited about baby #2!
If you like them raw, grated beets are great in salads, or on toast with cream cheese.
You can “contain” staining if you spray your hands and the chopping board with vegetable oil cooking spray before you start peeling/chopping. Cleaning afterwards is a lot easier!
Hi Kerri,
Welcome to the beet club. They can be prepared hot, cold, cooked, raw or in an excellent veggie soup. For he soup the addition of sour cream will enhance the taste.
Enjoy and have a great day.
Dan
Hi Kerri,
There are parts of the world that grow sugar beets to harvest and process for table sugar. Some people enjoy sweet and sour foods at an Oriental dinner. Pickled Beets are an example of a sweet and sour veggie. AS always have a great day.
dan
I’m a T1 D pregnant with my second. I have also been craving beets! Except I don’t like to cook so I just eat them directly out of the can.
Beets come in a can? I haven’t seen that beet box. 🙂