Beets

About: Beets are in the same family as chard and spinach. There are several varieties of cultivated root beets, all of beautiful colors. "Ruby Queen”, a deep red beet, is popular mid-season. “Burpee’s Golden” beets have an orange-gold skin and sweet yellow flesh and are best harvested young. Chiogia beets are red and white candy-stripped and taste sweeter than most beets. “Red Ace”-the most common variety of beet-has bright red roots and red-veined green leaves.The leaves of all these varieties are good to eat! “Bull’s Blood” beets are know for having the sweetest leaves. 

Nutritional Information: A cup of raw beets has just 58 calories. The root and greens are an excellent source of folate, potassium, manganese, magnesium, Iron and vitamin C. 

Storage: Unwashed beets can be stored in the refrigerator for two to four weeks and sometimes even longer. Remove leaves and most of the stem to prevent moisture from being pulled from the root. Greens can be kept separately in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for approximately four days. Unwashed beet roots can be stored up to 4-5 months by covering them with sand or sawdust and storing in a moist, cool spot (35 to 40 degrees F). 

Tips: Raw beets do not freeze well, though cooked beets can be frozen. Cooked beets can also be dried: cool, peel, and cut the beet into strips. In addition, beets can be canned and pickled.

QuickFix: Shred beets and toss with a bit of vinegar for a delightful salad. Peel beets before preparing.

Recipes:  How to Cook Beets, Brown Sugar-Glazed Beets, Warm Beet & Spinach Salad, Quick Pickled Beets,Sauteed Beet Greens, Beet Green Risotto,