b'Say Hello to Your New Favorite SuperfoodThree ways to eat beetsBY OLIVIA MACK MCCOOLA neffectivewaytogetmoreare available all winter long, are fairly inexpensive forI like to do the whole peeling process right in my sink vegetablesinyourdietistheir weight, and are extremely versatile. If your onlywith the water running, making for easier clean up. tomakethemthecenterofexperience with them is from a can or slivers of driedTransfer the peeled roasted beets to a lidded container whateveryourecooking.out raw beets from a salad bar, let me reintroduceand store in the refrigerator until youre ready to use Beets dont really have a prob- you to your new favorite superfood.them. This has become a weekly tradition for me, as lem being the center of atten- Roasting beets is an easy, hands off way to cook amy whole family, kids included, really love beets. Do-tion given that their hot pinkbig batch that can be used in a variety of ways. Mying this ahead makes it much easier to throw them hue takes over just about any dish. With a color nat- method is simple: Line a sheet pan with aluminuminto salads, blitz them into a dip or dress them simply urally that bright, you know its bound to be chockfoil and lay another foil sheet on top that is largewith oil and vinegar for a quick side.full of vitamins and nutrientsand beets are! TheyenoughtowraparoundhowevermanybeetsyouMy three best beet recipes follow: Beet & Quinoa are a really good source of folate, vitamin A, vitaminare roasting. Trim off the stems and root tip of theSalad, Beet Dip, and Beet & Berries Smoothie. The C, potassium and even iron. Not to mention theybeets and rinse them under water. Place the beetssalad is an ideal make-ahead lunch recipe. It keeps on the large piece of foil. Drizzlegreat in the refrigerator and is the perfect base to pile them with olive oil and a generouson healthy additions like hard boiled eggs, avocados, sprinkling of water. Wrap them upolives or greens. The dip is a showstopper worthy of tightly and bake at 350 for any- a party but simple enough to eat all week long with wherebetween45minutesandcrackers, chips or raw vegetables. And this smoothie 90 minutes: The cooking time willwill shake up your regular routine. The recipe calls vary based on how large each beetfor raw beets out of convenience, but you absolutely is. They are done when you can eas- can use some of the beets you already roasted, which ily pierce them with a small knife.isagreatchoiceifyourblenderisntparticularly Remove from the oven and let coolpowerful. enough so you can handle them.Recipe developer, cookbook author, food stylist and lo-Oncecooled,useyourhandscal mom Olivia Mack McCool lives in Maplewood. toslipofftheskins.TheyshouldFor more of her work and recipes, check out her website come off easily, but if not you canoliviamackmccool.com and follow along on Instagram peel them with a small sharp knife.@oliviamackmccool.BEET & QUINOA SALADMakes 6-8 servings 1 cup uncooked white quinoa1.Bring 2 cups of water to a boil and season3-4 roasted beets (see above for instruc- generously with salt. Pour in the quinoa. tions), cut into small cubes Cover and immediately lower to a simmer. cup extra virgin olive oil Cook for 17 minutes. Turn off the heat, cup apple cider vinegar fluff with a fork, cover again and let sit while you prep the rest of the salad. cup minced chives or scallions 2.Combine the chopped beets, olive oil, cup finely chopped dill, mint, parsley orvinegar, chives and dill together in a large cilantro bowl. Season generously with salt. Toss cup pistachios, pine nuts or walnuts,well. Add the quinoa in and gently stir chopped (optional)everything together. Store in the refrigera-tor for up to five days. 24/ matters magazine / winter 2023'