Weird Food Wednesday: 4 Yummy Ways to Cook Beets

I don’t know about you, but when I started eating healthy, I had the palette of an unsophisticated six-year-old.

I had never even heard of half of the vegetables I found on my first trip to Whole Foods and it took months for someone to instruct me on the proper pronunciation of quinoa.

However, I’ve come a long way since then and now make a point to try to incorporate a new food into my diet every month. It isn’t hard to do since all my prior experiences involve corn, taters and lots of butter.

So, for my first Weird Food Wednesday, I’m going to show a few different ways to incorporate beets into your diet. Disclaimer: I had never eaten a beet in my life before I chose to use it for this segment, hence why I picked it. The beet, formally known as the beetroot, is actually an edible root. Although the entire beet plant is edible, most of the time when we refer to eating beets, we’re referring to the root portion. Beets grow in several different colors — purple, gold and red — and are known for their extremely bright and vivid color. Which will stain your hands, your clothes, and anything else it comes into contact with — just an FYI. 

First of all, they’re DELICIOUS. Second of all, they’re super healthy. This low-calorie food is packed with fiber and good carbohydrates. Beets are also a great source of manganese and B vitamins, including folate, which is super important for mommys-to-be or women who are trying to conceive. You can read more about how good beets are for you here.

Third of all, you can cook beets about a million different ways. Just type in beet recipes on Pinterest and you’ll see hundreds of recipes for everything from soups to cakes. But, who needs Pinterest when you’ve got FitnessHQ? We’ve got four awesome recipes for everyone from our beginner beet lovers to our old hats. Be prepared for lots of bad food puns and some yummy goodness!

---

Oven Roasted Beets

Ingredients

• 2 beets of any color (I chose golden, because variety)
• 1 tablespoon of coconut oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon rosemary

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F.
2. Clean your beets thoroughly and scrape off any remaining roots. Some people choose to peel them, but I’m all about maximizing my nutrients, so I left the skins on.
3. Slice your beets up and spread them out on a cookie pan.
4. In a small microwave-safe dish, heat up your coconut oil for 30 seconds or until it’s melted. Add your salt, pepper and rosemary to the oil and then use a brush to brush it over the beets.
5. Roast in the oven for 25 minutes and bam, you’ve got yourself a delicious and nutritious snack.

---

 

Beets, Green Bean and Walnut Salad

Ingredients

• 1 head of lettuce/1 container of salad mix
• 1 cup of walnuts
• 1 cup of roasted beets
• 1 cup of green beans
• 2 teaspoons of olive oil

Directions

1. Heat up 1 cup of water on the stove. When it reaches the boiling point, add the green beans and let them boil for five to eight minutes or until they’re soft.
2. Drain your green beans and run cold water on them.
3. In a large bowl, mix your salad, your roasted beets (see above recipe on instructions for how to make them) and walnuts.
4. Once your green beans are cool, add them and toss your salad. Add feta cheese if your diet permits. Top with olive oil and viola, you’ve got a yummy breakfast or lunchtime salad. Think the ingredient combination sounds a little strange? Try it for yourself and thank us later!

---

Beets and Sweet Potato Breakfast Hash

Ingredients

• 1 Purple Beet
• 1 Sweet Potato
• 1/2 white onion
• 1 tablespoon of coconut oil

Directions

1. Heat up the coconut oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the beet, the sweet potato and onion. Cover with a lid and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
2. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve. Yum! Easy and SO good!

Warning: Purple beets have a lot of pigment and will turn everything you cook pink, but it will all still taste bomb. Tell Dr. Dre to move over — there’s a new beet master in town!

---

Beet and Mushroom Soup

Ingredients

• 8 ounces of mushrooms
• 2 large purple beets
• 1/2 white onion
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 tablespoon of coconut oil
• 16 ounces of chicken broth
• 1 can of full-fat coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon of oregano
• 1 tablespoon of thyme 

Directions

1. Heat up coconut oil and garlic and onions in a large stock pot over medium heat.
2. Once the onions become translucent, add sliced beets and mushrooms to mixture and cover. Heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring often until the beets and mushrooms are soft.
3. Add chicken broth, coconut milk and seasonings. Allow to simmer for another 5 minutes.
4. Remove the soup from heat and allow to cool for several minutes before pouring it into a blender and mixing it well for two minutes.
5. Salt and pepper to taste and serve. 

 

So, as you can see, you don’t have to be some sort of high class chef or health guru to incorporate beets into your diet. Pick up a bunch the next time you’re at the store and enjoy how easy and versatile these veggies can be.

---

For more Weird Food Wednesdays, click here.