Beets!

Beets aren't in season yet, but they will be next month! I like having things to look forward to.:P Beets and dates are what help me get over the end of mango season.
In my opinion, beets are a really underrated vegetable. I meet so many people who don't eat them, just because they don't ever think of it! How they could not be thinking about beets nonstop during Fall and Winter is beyond me. Beets are like a diamond in a lump of coal. They are packaged in a fairly dull looking skin, but once they are peeled and you slice one in half...A beautiful, ruby red jewel is revealed. In my opinion, no fruit or vegetable is as visually stunning as the beet. I add them to all kinds of foods, just so they will make the dish look pretty! Luckily, beets taste great and are great for you as well. Beets are loaded with vitamins A, B, and C. They also contain calcium, iron, folic acid, potassium and fiber. Here is how I like to eat them:

Ruby Smoothie I
1C almond milk
a handful of fresh or frozen strawberries
1 slice of a small beet, peeled
1 banana
1 Tbsp maple syrup

Ruby Smoothie II
1C cucumber water (juice)
1 mango, peeled and diced
1 slice from a small beet, peeled
a handful of strawberries
1-2Tbsp maple syrup

Blend until smooth and enjoy! Another cool thing to do is to juice a few oranges and then juice 1/4 of a small beet. It turns the orange juice bright red! I tell my kids they are drinking Kool aid.:P

Roasted Beets!
1 beet, peeled and sliced into fairly thin matchsticks
2C carrot matchsticks
2C small potato chunks
Toss vegetables with about 2-3Tbsp olive oil. Sprinkle with seasoned salt. Roast at 500 degrees for about 20-30 minutes, shaking and stirring the pan every 10 minutes or so. Serve with crusty bread with honey butter and a big green salad! We ate this yesterday and my kids begged for me to make some more after it was all gone. How could I say no!