A Beet-Positive Salad

I didn’t grow up in a beet-positive environment. In my family, beets were something my grandparents ate. To me, its sharp flavour and fibrous texture was, in the verbiage of the era, very gag-me-with-a-spoon. However, my experiences with beets were admittedly a little sparse. Usually, they were served pickled alongside olives or dills, or in the occasional pot of borscht. All of which I did my utmost to avoid.

However, in the past few years as I’ve been gaining my foodie stripes, my appreciation for beets has grown. Few would want to sit down to a pile of beets, but when cooked or prepared properly, their striking colour, texture and taste can add a whole new dimension to a well-rounded dish.

Gastronomic considerations aside, beets are a superfood stuffed to burst with positive nutritive attributes. What we’ve got here is plenty of iron, fibre and potassium, as well as some handy anti-inflammatory and, as some studies have suggest, anti-carcinogenic qualities. Do note that beets do have higher sugar content, so those with diabetes would do best to enjoy beets in smaller quantities.

While the more commonplace of beets have a lush, garnet red colour, there are lots of other choices that arrive in different shades with slightly different tastes. Fiery golden beets are a personal favourite, as well as those striped with a pinkish red similar to candy canes, and a rich slate blue. All of which cook essentially the same and differ very little in terms of texture and taste. At present, beets are in season, so take a look in your local farmers market for what’s available.

Cooking beets requires a bit of a tutorial. For those down with raw foodism, grating them in salads or juicing them is terrific, but as they’re a rather fibrous, dense veggie, it’s not suggested you just slop them in a pan with a bit of oil and hope for the best. No, these require some roasting or boiling, and for the purposes of this recipe, I’d suggest the former. Though any sort of cooking can degrade some of the nutritional wow of just about everything, roasting retains a little more than boiling, and they flourish in flavour using this method. It’s best to roast them slow with some fragrant aromatic herbs, like rosemary or thyme.

Like any root vegetable, beets store well in cool, dark places outside of the refrigerator. Like just about everything, beets taste best the quicker out the ground they’re consumed.

(Note: Though most people simply clip and toss aside the greens, I’d suggest to keep a few aside for stir-fries or sauté them with a little garlic, ginger and oil. Not only do their purple veined leaves offer some rousing colour, they’re just as rich in nutrients as their roots).

Roasted Beet Salad With Honey-Lime Vinaigrette

Roasted Beets:

• 6 medium beets, roughly the same size.
• 2 bay leaves
• A few sprigs of fresh rosemary or thyme (Or 2 tsp dried).
• ¼ red onion
• Olive oil

Salad:

• 4 cups of a mix of your favourite lettuce greens
• ½ red bell pepper cut into matchsticks
• 1 green onion, chopped
• 1 cup red cabbage, finely sliced (discard the thicker chunks)
• 1 cup sprouted broccoli, peas, or alfalfa
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• ½ cup sliced almonds or sunflower seeds

Dressing:

• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 teaspoons poppy seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl, toss the scrubbed beets with a drizzle of olive oil and the herbs. Place them into a foil-lined baking dish, with the quartered onion (to help absorb the heat). Cover the pan with foil, and tent the foil accordingly if it’s touching the beets.
2. When tender, (after approximately 1.5 hours), remove from heat and let cool in the fridge and cover with plastic wrap. Discard the bay leaves and onion.
3. When they are cooled to the touch, take a clean cloth and firmly rub the beets between your hands to remove the skins.
4. Slice thinly, top with salt and pepper and set aside.
5. For the dressing, combine the lime juice, sugar and Dijon mustard in a small bowl. Whisk vigourously to emulsify.
6. Add the salt, poppy seeds and vegetable oil. Whisk, then let cool for 5-10 minutes in the refrigerator.
7. Build the salad to your own preference, and then toss with the beets and vinaigrette.

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Lindsay Hutton enjoys learning about the politics and pragmatics behind a meat and dairy-free diet. Lindsay spent most of her (de)formative years at punk rock shows and organizing in various activist pursuits. She has worked as a union organizer, waitress, bookstore clerk, landscaper and most recently as a freelance writer.