Food Highlight: Beets, Part 1



photo credit: www.everystockphoto.com/ dichohecho



With their distinctive earthy flavor and brilliant colors, beets make a beautiful and unique addition to any culinary fare. Beets are believed to have originated in the Mediterranean area [1] and it is thought that originally beet roots were not eaten and that the leaves were used for medicinal purposes, treating complications such as fevers, constipation, wounds and other ailments [2].

My mom's been up visiting from Tennessee and yesterday she made this tasty dish for lunch.
I hope you enjoy it too!

1 bunch beet greens, cut into bite size squares

4 garlic cloves, crushed or finely chopped

1 bunch (4-6) spring onions, sliced

4 Tbsp Olive Oil

5-10 oz. Mushroom, sliced

With kitchen shears cut beet greens into bite sized squares. Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add crushed garlic. Add the beet greens once the garlic has begun to swell and before it browns. Cook 1 min. Add sliced mushrooms. As the greens and mushrooms begin to get tender add sliced spring onions. Cover with a lid and cook 2 minutes. Add sea salt to taste.
Serve over brown rice, pasta or as a side dish.

Here are two other recipes I've found:
Beet Greens with Bacon

Pasta with Beet Greens, Blue Cheese and Hazelnuts

How do you serve your beets greens?

[1] http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/archives/parsons/publications/vegetabletravelers/beets.html#
[2] http://lovebeets.com/history/

Food Highlight: Radishes

Photo Credit: Teodora Vlaicu/Stock.Xchng

Red, pink, purple, white – radishes come in a variety of colors, but all are fairly well known for their pungent, peppery flavor and generally make their appearance as salad toppings in American food culture.

Radishes contain amalyse, an enzyme that helps to break down carbohydrates, as well as fiber, minerals such as magnesium, calcium, folate and manganese. They also are a source of vitamin C, which is a water soluble vitamin that is not stored in the body and thus must be replenished daily.



Here is a collection of radish recipes:

Radish Greens Soup (just had this last night - it was amazingly good!)
Radish Butter on Toasted Baguette
Feta-Radish Spread
Hardcooked Eggs with Radishes & Anchovy-Butter Crostini
Radishes & Flavored Butters


I tweaked the feta-radish spread a little bit, instead of adding greek yogurt I used heavy cream and just added enough to make the mixture nice and spreadable then I tossed in some chicken. We rolled the feta-radish-chicken spread in wraps with lots of lettuce and had them for supper. Wow, were they good!

How are you using your radishes? Any particular recipe you are wanting to try?