Are you looking for something new to do with beets? How about a colorful, quick raw beet salad?
Hi, I’m Susan Bowerman, registered dietitian. I was talking to my friend the other day, and she told me she knew beets were nutritious, but she didn’t really know what to do with beets. A lot of people tell me the same thing—they don’t know what to do with beetroot. Or they tell me that they don’t like the sweet taste or texture of cooked beets. So I say try beets in their natural raw form in a raw beet salad.
Raw beets make a wonderful salad, here’s a simple recipe to follow:
Cut the top and bottom off the beets, and peel them like you would peel a carrot. Raw beets aren’t as sweet as when they’re cooked, so you’ll need a tangy dressing. Try lime juice, orange juice, olive oil, and a couple pinches of salt and pepper. You could use different vinegars if you want, it’s up to you. I’m going to add a handful of fresh mint, but you could use parsley too. Another thing that’s a good addition to this salad is grated carrots, apples or raisins.
Toss all the ingredients in a bowl and that’s it, you have your raw beet salad. This raw beet salad keeps for a long time, so you might want to make a big batch.
Why should you eat beets? Well, for one thing, they’re a good source of folic acid which is a B vitamin. Beets are also a good source of minerals including potassium, magnesium, and iron. The other great thing about beets is that if you buy them fresh with the tops already on them, you get two vegetables for the price of one—you can cut beet greens off and cook them just like spinach. If you’re not ready for a full plate of shredded beets, take some baby steps; try grating a few into your green salad to perk up the flavor and color.
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