"B" is for Beets

Week #2. This week's feature ingredient is beets.  Like last week's featured ingredient, arugula, beets are high in iron and a host of other nutrients, most notably folic acid.  Folic acid is said to help reduce birth defects and some forms of cancer, and aids in heart health. This root vegetable has leafy, green tops which are edible and highly nutritious.  Beets come in a variety of colors ranging from white to its trademark color, garnet red.  I think the most beautifully colored beet is the candy cane beet.  Like its name suggests, it's both red and white.  Here is a pic of the garnet red beets, the beets that most people are familiar with:

Although I was hoping to get brussel sprouts, it is my favorite veggie after all,  I'm happy with beets.   I love beets.  As a child, the way I described the flavor of them was, "They taste great! Mmmm...tastes like dirt."  As an adult, I say they taste earthy and sweet.  I've never eaten beet tops before though, so that'll be an experience I'm looking forward to.  I know I can get these garnet beets in the store.  I've also seen golden beets in stock recently.  Hopefully, I'll be able to get my hands on some of those.

I'm looking forward to seeing what I can do with beets.  I have a couple of fun ideas...the sweetness of beets is making me want to make a sorbet.  Hmm, we'll see.  Be sure to check in through the week to see what I come up with.