Food of the week: Beets

Food of the week: BEETS

Benefits:

• Low in calories
  
• Good source of Folate, Maganese, Potassium, Fiber, Vitamin C, Magnesium, Tryptophan (watch out turkey!), Iron, Copper, and Phosphorus
  
• Help protect against Heart Disease, Birth Defects and Colon Cancer
  
• They're pretty!
  
• And they're tasty
  

Drawbacks:

• They dye your fingers, clothes and countertops (but the color is easily washed out)
  
• May turn your urine red or pink

Ways to eat beets:

• In a salad with onions, veggies, black beans, corn, and tuna. YUM!!!!


• Roasted in the oven with shallots or onions


• Sauteed with butter
  

Note: The wonderful thing about beets is that not only can you eat the tasty root, but the leaves are edible and nutritious as well. I've never tried any recipes with beet leaves, but am open to trying some. The Beet - the vegetable that keeps on giving.

Little known fact: Beet powder is used as a coloring agent for many foods. Some frozen pizzas use beet powder to color the tomato sauce.