Beets are one of the only vegetable that you can eat entirely both root and leaf. The leaves are higher in iron than spinach – get that Popeye! Nutritious – You bet! Vitamin A, B6, vitamin C and bits of B1 & B2. Calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and copper are also in the package. Low in calories, low in carbohydrates and high in potassium – a great “heart” vegetable. While the sweet beet root has some of the minerals in its greens to a lesser degree, it is also a remarkable source of chlorine, folic acid, iodine, manganese, organic sodium, potassium, fiber and carbohydrates in the form of natural digestible sugars.

It was first eaten like chard or spinach for only its leaves. Beets of the types that produce large, fleshy, edible roots were unknown before the Christian Era. The ancients used the root of the wild beet or chard apparently for medicinal purposes only. The wild beet occurs widely over the Mediterranean lands, Asia Minor, and the Near East. It is believed to have originated in the Mediterranean area, spreading eastward in prehistoric times, with a secondary region of development in the Near East.

Beets are a cooler weather crop – the good news is they are generally easy to grow and relatively pest free – they combine well with cabbage, bush beans, lettuce, onion but tend to dislike pole beans and mustard family crops. Here you can plant them early in spring (as soon as the heavy frost is gone) and late August to have a fall crop. Swiss chard, garden beets, stock beets, and sugar beets all belong to the same species (Beta vulgaris) and will intercross readily. The distance to prevent cross pollination is extreme as the pollen is airborne. Seed crops of garden beets, for example, must not be grown within several miles of a sugar-beet seed crop lest the two kinds become cross-pollinated, a condition ruining the purity of the seed of one or both kinds.

To purchase beets look for beet roots that are unwrinkled and firm. If you store them with the greens attached, beets will keep for only three to four days in the fridge as the root has to supply moisture to the leaves. Without the greens attached, beet root can keep for a couple of weeks. Beets with round bottoms are sweeter than flat-bottomed ones. Remove the skin before cooking.

Beets can be steamed, roasted, or pickled. Check below for some quick idea’s.

Slice, Steam and toss with EVOO and some spicing (garlic/rosemary/parmesan)
Oven roast in combination with sweet potatoes, parsnips
Slice or cube and steam – toss with butter or a dash of lemon to serve
Slice and cook like you would carrots – glaze with brown sugar & a bit of ginger
Steam and mash with butter & salt
Steam the greens – prepare and serve as you would spinach.

Below is the recipe I used with the ROM (link)

BBQ Grilled Beets

1/3 C balsamic vinegar
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp herbes de provence
3 medium beets, sliced into rounds

To assemble: In a medium bowl, mix the vinegar, rosemary, garlic & herbs. Add the sliced beets & marinade for 30 minutes. Put this mix in a “foil packet” and grill for 25 minutes until the beets are tender. Remove the beets from the packet & place directly on grill for a couple of minutes to sear.

Interesting Facts:
Ever heard of “beeturia” – thats the term they give for the beets ability to discolor urine. Apparently there is a connection between how “red” the urine is and iron deficiencies.
During WWII beets were the most popular dried food.
Despite their intense coloring, beet juice does not make a good dye – it is not colorfast nor lightfast.
Individuals with a history of oxalate-containing kidney stones should limit their consumption of beets.