Beets — A Powerhouse
This summer, I had the immense pleasure of having not only my garden boxes at home, but I was also able to share a garden with my in-laws. They recently purchased some property with a beautiful (and slightly massive) area that was perfect for a garden! And while I will admit it was a bit of a beast getting started, I’m happy to say we’re starting to see the fruits of our labor!
While planning out our garden, I knew that I for sure wanted to plant beets. Beets are a powerhouse of health benefits! I was first introduced to them in my teen years, where one of my first jobs was at a juicing company, and we would have customers coming in requesting beets be added to their juices and smoothies. I know beets have an interesting and unique flavor profile, along with requiring some elbow grease for cleaning and cooking, so I haven’t known many people to have had much experience with them. Here are just a few of the benefits that they offer:
A powerhouse of nutrients! Beets are high in fiber, potassium, folate, manganese and iron.
Great source of antioxidants.
Anti-inflammatory.
High in nitrates, which helps to open up blood vessels. This makes beets a great and natural choice if you’re looking for a pre-workout supplement.
Helps to support health blood sugar levels.
Gut friendly.
And that’s just to name a few! So I’m sure you now understand why I was itching to get these little growing in our garden. I’m happy to report that not only did they grow, they grew fast, and they grew better than anything else we had planted! I soon ended up with more beets than I really knew what to do with, so I started doing some research to figure out all of the ways I could use up our beets. Here are some ideas of different things you can make if you’re in a similar situation as me, and find yourself overwhelmed by the amount of bets your garden has produced this year!
Cooked and shredded: Perhaps one of the easiest things to do them, but I cooked the beets, and ran them through a cheese grater. This makes them smaller and easy to freeze. My husband doesn’t particularly enjoy the taste of beets, so I’m always trying to find ways to tame the flavor while still incorporating them into our meals. One of my favorite things to do with them is to add them to burgers. I make a delicious and easy teriyaki beet burger with ground chicken, coconut aminos, spices, and shredded beets (check out the recipe down below).
Cubed and frozen: I did cook these as well, but instead of shredding them, I just cut them into small cubes. I often add these to our smoothies and blend them up for additional nutrients!
Beet Kvass: Full of amazing probiotics, there’s nothing my family loves more than some gut-friendly fermentation. As if beets don’t have enough benefits on their own, this delicious beverage adds even more benefits like aiding digestion and liver detox.
Roasted: Another wonderful thing you can do with beets is a simple, root-vegetable medley. Cut them up, mix them with potatoes, carrots, and squash, and you have a beautiful and colorful array of a delicious and healthy side dishes to accompany your protein.
That was to just name a few, but there are quite literally endless opportunities of what you can make with beets. Below you’ll find my favorite recipe for a super-simple weeknight meal. If you try out, let me know what you think!
Easy Chicken Teriyaki Beet Burgers
One of our most simple and delicious weeknight meals that is nutrient-dense, protein-rich, and so easy to make! The beets help to add a sweet and caramelized flavor and texture to the burgers. These have become a weeknight staple for us!
2 lbs ground chicken
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup precooked, shredded beets
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup coconut aminos
1/4 cup cassava flour
Mix all ingredients into a bowl. Shape into eight, even-sized patties. Grill them outside or bake them in the oven until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Viola! Enjoy with a delicious summer salad, over rice, or with your favorite vegetable medley.
