Beets for Everyone!

I never thought I liked beets. Neither did my father. Or my mother. Or my husband.

Beets taste like dirt, right? Except purple. Is it just me, or can you taste the purple in canned beets?!

Then we lived in Israel for a year, and I discovered that Middle Eastern beet salad is delicious. Then I tried roasting beets when we got home, and I discovered I like those as well. For Thanksgiving, beet salad was one of my vegetable dishes, and everyone loved it! Even my father. And my father-in-law. And both my little boys. Here's the recipe:

Moroccan Beet Salad

• 2-4 beets
• 2-3 tsp sugar(at home I make this with Splenda)
• 1/4 c lemon juice or white vinegar
• 1 T olive oil
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/8 tsp paprika
• 3-4 T parsley
• 1 carrot, grated (optional)

Boil or roast the beets until soft, cool completely, and rub off the skins.
Chop the beets into bite sized pieces--matchsticks are attractive. Place in your serving bowl, and set aside.
Combine all ingredients, EXCEPT the carrot, in a measuring cup or bowl, and mix thoroughly. Pour the dressing over the beets, and toss. Toss in grated carrot.
Chill 1/2 hour, and serve.

This recipe is a variation on the one found here.

Not only are beets nutritious (especially when bought fresh), but they're in season right now. Better yet, they're not very popular in general, so they are relatively inexpensive. And if you buy them with the tops still attached, those tops are (literally) red chard, which is also very nutritious, and can be used in lieu of spinach or collard greens. That means you get two vegetables for the price of one!

Remember, there is no "don't like," only "don't know how to cook." If you think you don't like a vegetable, give it a try in a new recipe that has other things you do like in it. That vegetable may never be your favorite, but chances are there's a way to cook it that you don't mind. Flexibility is a frugal trait!

For more great ideas, check out We Are THAT Family for Works For Me Wednesday!