Some can still remember their first bite of beets. Maybe they were in a salad bar, the size of silver dollars with the ruffles of Lay’s Potato Chips and the texture of gelatin. Or perhaps you’re from the South where pickled beets are a traditional favorite. The intense red that stains everything it touches and the jello-like texture are memorable, to say the least.
But it is time to give beets another shot, because pickled or canned aren’t the only ways — or necessarily the best ways — to eat them. In fact, if you’ve never prepared beets raw, now’s the time to try fresh beets that are harvested in Washington State from mid-July to mid-October.
Beets are part of the Chenopod family that includes spinach, chard and quinoa. With relatives like that, perhaps it is no surprise that Beta Vulgaris is packed with health. It was listed in the New York Times as one of the 11 best foods you aren’t eating, and is often cited as a ”superfood”. It is high in folic acid (excellent for pregnant women), potassium, calcium and cancer-fighting antioxidants. Plus, it is a fibrous root which aids digestion.
With this power-packed root vegetable we’ve created a fresh salad recipe for the month of September. We’ve used sliced, raw beets and season-fresh carrots (harvested in Washington in mid-September). It is topped off with a homemade vinaigrette and Chukar’s heart-healthy Bing cherries.
Beet Carrot Cherry Salad
By Published: September 1, 2011
- Yield: 4 Servings
Some can still remember their first bite of beets. Maybe they were in a salad bar, the size of silver dollars with the ruffles of …
Ingredients
- 3 medium sized beets raw
- 1 large carrot peeled
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons cold pressed olive oil
- 1 tablespoon raw honey
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cilantro minced
- ½ cup Chukar dried cherries any variety (Bing was used for this recipe)
Instructions
- Peel beets. Cut into quarters and slice in food processor. Wrap in paper towels and refrigerate while preparing the rest of the salad.
- Cut the carrot into chunks and shred in processor.
- In a medium sized bowl, combine dressing ingredients plus cilantro. Whisk together, then add carrots and cherries. Mix until carrots and cherries are thoroughly coated.
- Arrange beets on plate and spoon dressed carrot/cherry mixture over top. Serve immediately.
- Course: Salad
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