Ingredient: Beets!

n. [beet] the edible root and leaves of the biennial crop plant

Beets are here! We just enjoyed some nice red beets from our CSA box. Beets can be a bit divisive on the veggie front, although I think that folks that don't like them have never had them cooked properly. They are delicious and nutritious, being high in folate, manganese and potassium. They do have a high sugar content (the most of any vegetable), but remain low calorie. Several studies have also proven them to be effective in fighting heart disease, cancer and inflammation.

Beet greens are often overlooked, but as with their cousing Swiss Chard, they can be eaten in a variety of ways including raw. I recently added to some to a stir-fry with excellent results!

As for the beets themselves, I prefer them roasted. And for our dragon-slayer 3 year old, they have become 'Roasted Dragon Hearts'. A little disconcerting, but effective.

Simple Roasted Beets

-Pre-heat oven to 450˚
-Remove greens and save for later use. Scrub beets clean, leaving skin intact
-Quarter large beets, halve smaller ones, and place on a baking sheet
-Toss with olive oil, salt + pepper
-Roast for approximately 30 minutes or more, until beets are just tender when pierced with a knife (turn 1-2 times during cooking to ensure even roasting)
-Remove from oven and let beets cool
-Once cool enough to handle, use a paring knife to remove softened skin
-Use the beets as a side dish, in salads or even in ice cream!

I like to use them in a salad, topped with an Indian Yogurt Dressing. I'll post the recipe on Friday!

Recipe: CSA Veggie Sauté in PIta

All of our yummy CSA vegetables from Driftless Organics have inspired some new, quick lunch options for me. This is a tasty one for anytime of the day, just add eggs for breakfast or your favorite protein for a heartier meal.

Veggie Sauté in Pita
serves 1-2

1 purple potato, small dice
1 spring onion, sliced
1 small stalk broccoli, chopped including stem
1 handful chrysanthemum greens
lemon
olive oil
salt + pepper
feta cheese

-in a cast iron skillet or large frying pan, heat a small amount of olive oil
-add onion + potato, stirring to coat in oil and cook for about 2 minutes
-add brocooli, stir to coat and cook for about 2 more minutes or until veggies are just tender, adding a little water if necessary to keep from burning/sticking
-add chrysanthemum greens and toss to wilt
-remove from heat
-season with salt + pepper and a squeeze of lemon
-add feta cheese and stuff into halved pita pockets

Copyright 2009, Molly L. Herrmann

Food Find: Serrated Peeler

'Tis the season for this little gem of a gadget! I didn't even know it existed until a couple of months ago, when I found out that the serrated peeler is THE perfect tool to peel butternut squash. Know what else it's really good at peeling? Peaches. Nectarines. Plums. Even tomatoes. Takes the skin off likes it's butter. Try it for your next stone fruit cobbler or tomato coulis. Or just for kicks... if you go for that sort of thing.


I found my Zyliss Serrated Peeler at The Produce Exchange in the Midtown Global Market, but there are many brands widely available.

Ingredient: Chrysanthemum Greens

n. /krɪˈsænθəməm/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [kri-san-thuh-muhm] edible leaves + stems of the garland chrysanthemum plant; popular in Asian cooking; also known as edible chrysanthemum or chop suey greens.

Who knew? A friend gave me a bag of chrysanthemum greens that had been passed to her by a neighboring gardener. Chrysanthemum greens? Hmmm. I didn't know they were edible. Turns out they are pretty tasty and easy to use. The leaves are small and tender, and must be used before the plant has flowered. Once it has bloomed, the leaves become bitter. Chrysanthemum greens have a nice herbaceous zing when eaten raw, and turn slightly nutty once cooked. I popped a handful on top of a pita with pesto + goat cheese for a tasty grilled supper.

NOTE: do not use ornamental chrysanthemum greens from the plant your mother gave you. These are not edible. the 'garland' variety is what you need. this has been a public service annoucement. :-)