Hi Phil,

Hi Myrna,

Sorry to hear about your Zucchini. I helped with the Community Garden this year, so it was a "pooled" effort, and we did pretty well. Sold quite a bit of stuff at the local Farmer's Market and still had quite a bit more to divide amongst ourselves. Some years always seem to be better than others, at least around here in NC.

Love the Baked Zucchini with Mozzarella, sounds delicious. Here's a little something that I kind of like, and it would be a good use for those Red Beets and the Onions as well. Not sure whether you would like it or not, since I'm told by everyone else in my family that it's an acquired taste, in other words, they don't like it.

Red Beet & Onion Salad

2 lbs beets

1 cup red onion, sliced half moon

4 Tbsp brown rice vinegar

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp ume plum vinegar

Cut the ends off beets and wash well, then boil in water until soft (about an hour). Place onions in a small bowl and cover them with some of the boiling beet water. Cover with a lid and set aside for 45 minutes or so. When beets are done, drain the water and cover with cold water. Peel the beets while they are submerged in the water by rubbing them with your hands. Remove beets from the pot as you peel them. Slice in half and then into half moons. Place in a bowl. When onions are soft, drain water and add them to the beets. Mix vinegars and oil, then pour over the beets and onions. Mix well. Allow to marinate refrigerated for at least an hour, or overnight.

HI Phil,

Not too sure about those beets either. I would like to taste it before I made it. I love Harvard beets, and pickled eggs. Never really tried anything else with beets. I did use the beet tops and made an sweet and sour dressing on them. That was really good. I read somewhere that the tops are more nutritious than the beets themselves. Am wonder if you ever read or heard anything like that.

Myrna

Hi Myrna,

As I said, I wasn't sure that you, or most people for that matter, would like the Beet & Onion Salad. Most of my family think I slightly off kilter in my eating habits. However, I'm like you in that I also like Harvard Beets, and we've already discussed before how much I like those Pickled Eggs.

The really interesting feature about Beets is that it is one of those vegetables having highest sugar content. However, the calorie content per cup of beet is around 50 only.

Beet of course, is comprised of both the leafy greens and the root part. The most nutritious part of the beet is indeed the leafy green, or top portion, and one can cook this green separately as a spinach. The root can be a part of the side dish or can be used for pickle or as a salad.

Beet offers invaluable nutritional benefits. Beet is the source for potassium, fiber and folate. The green leafy part of the beet contains vital minerals such as potassium, iron and calcium. Besides these vital minerals, beet is discovered to be a rich source for Vitamin C. The top portion of the beet that includes the leafy greens is more nutritious, especially if eaten young and green. It has been discovered that one cup of this top portion contains as much as 35 micrograms of vitamin C, which is equivalent to nearly 46% of the total requirement of Vitamin C that is advised for an adult woman in a day. In addition to Vitamin C, that cup of top portion also contains 160 micrograms of calcium, 2.5 micrograms of iron and as much as 1,300 micrograms of potassium.

It is unfortunate, however, that many of the cooks in hotels and also most of us at home prefer to discard the tops that include the leafy green portion and prefer to cook only the root.

As a matter of fact, in ancient times, the root part was not used for cooking al all, but instead was used as a medicine for treating painful disorders which at that time included headaches and toothaches. The top leafy green portion was the one that was consumed as vegetable in the ancient period. However, there is no evidence to scientifically prove that the root portion of the beet has any medicinal properties.

Apart from folate, fiber, potassium and good amount of Vitamin C, the vegetable beet is found to have rich source of phytochemicals such as saporins and anthocyanins that can be helpful in binding the cholesterol found in the digestive tract. As a result of binding the cholesterol, the risk of heart disease caused by cholesterol is greatly reduced. Thus beet helps in minimizing the risk of contracting heart diseases.

In order to reap the benefits of the beet vegetable, it is advisable that the vegetable is boil them in a container without peeling off the skin so that most of the nutrients and the nutritional value is retained. After the beets cool-off from boiling temperature, the skins slip-off easily.

If you would like another way to prepare the Healthiest Part of those Beets, this simple classic (which can be made with any type of green) is great on its own as a side dish, or you can toss the greens with pasta, add them to an omelet or risotto or use them in a gratin or a quiche.

Sautéed Beet Greens With Garlic and Olive Oil

1 pound beet greens (2 large or 3 small bunches)

1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, to taste

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes (optional)

Freshly ground pepper and Salt to taste

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil while you stem the greens and wash the leaves in 2 rinses of water. When the water comes to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the greens. Blanch for 2 minutes, until tender. Transfer immediately to a bowl of ice water, then drain and squeeze the water out from its leaves. Chop coarsely.

2. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy nonstick skillet. Add the garlic and hot red pepper flakes (if using) and cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant and translucent, 30 to 60 seconds. Stir in the greens. Stir for a couple of minutes, until the greens are nicely seasoned with garlic and oil. Season with salt and pepper, remove from the heat, and serve.

Note: Some people enjoy a few drops of lemon juice with their cooked greens, so you might want to pass a plate of lemon wedges.

Have A Marvelous Monday,

Phil

HI Phil,