Don’t forget to include the greens when you cook your beets!
I have suddenly become a very, very big fan of beets. I will sneak them into almost anything if it makes sense, juice them constantly and there is a good chance I’ll order something on a menu if it contains beets. I mean, even my go-to Kombucha flavor is a beet one. Beets taste like candy- it’s as simple as that.
However, it wasn’t until recently that I realized you should cook the stems and greens too! Before this all I was doing was cutting that part off to juice it, or buying beets without. I’m unsure why it never occurred to me it was very edible and should be prepared along with the beet, but at least I did finally figure this tip out. Once I was exposed to the concept I immediately had to try it for myself. Waste not!
Cooking the beets and greens uses all of the root vegetable and ensures you are getting the maximum amount of nutrients possible.
For my first recipe I wanted to try a sauté because it seemed pretty simple. I figured a citrus flavor would pair very nicely! Purchase beets that still have the stems and leaves, then get an orange too.
Cut off the stems and chop them into inch long strips. Separate the leaves as well. Peel and chop up the beets next!
Start by heating up the beets and stems over the stove with a little oil. Sprinkle with some pepper and sea salt. I also soaked mine in a big of balsamic vinegar. You can use any kind, but I recommend Pastamore’s citrus balsamic.
Like the flavor of citrus? My absolute favorite tea is this sweet and spicy blend from Good Earth. I order it in bulk because I drink about two bags a day and just can’t seem to get enough of it. Everyone I introduce it to raves about it and becomes hooked. To top it off there are no artificial sweeteners added.
When the main parts of the beet are mostly cooked through toss in the greens. Squeeze the orange juice over everything, cook for a few minutes and then remove from heat.
Serve up and enjoy the ENTIRE beet!
Citrus Sautéed Beets and Greens
Ingredients
- 2 beets whole with stems and greens
- 1 orange
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Remove the stems from the beet bulb and separate the leaves. Cut the stems into inch long strips. Peel and chop up the beet.
- Saute the beets and stems with some oil in a pan. Pour a little balsamic over it and season lightly.
- Cook for about 10 minutes on a medium-low heat. When the beets start to get soft add in the greens. Squeeze the orange juice over everything and cook for a few more minutes.
- Remove and serve hot!
Next time you get some beets don’t ignore the greens! I can’t wait to cook up more recipes with the stems and all. Share you favorites below if you love beets and greens as much as I do!
>>This can be a Whole30 APPROVED recipe!
The balsamic vinegar must be plain with no added sugar.
Okay, this recipe is so good! I followed it exactly, but i added some kale and mushrooms to the mix. Roasted up some broccoli too, and seved it all on a bed of couscous with sprouts, sunflower seeds, and shitake ginger salad dressing on top. Defintely will make again. Thank you!!!!!
That sounds amazing! Yummy additions! Thanks so much for the feedback and glad it will be a repeat recipe for you 🙂