            Recipes > Ingredient Archive > Beets  Why Choose Organic? Choosing organic beets when possible ensures that they’ve been grown in healthy soil free of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. Organic produce is raised with methods that build vibrant soil ecosystems and protect our air and water. It’s better for the environment — and we think organic tastes better, too!
• Beet and Arugula Salad with Walnuts and Feta Cheese from Food to Live By: The Earthbound Farm Organic Cookbook A feast for the eye and the palate, beets are one of those vegetables we seem to take for granted. If you grew up eating only canned or pickled beets, it’s understandable if you’re not a fan of this humble vegetable. Times have changed. Now those pallid red lumps you remember have been joined by enticing new varieties — sweeter, milder, and tastier. Fresh beets are a universe removed from their canned cousins. Although they’re available year round, early spring and summer beets have the sweetest, most vibrant flavor.  Selecting Beets When choosing beets, look for bright, perky greens. The greens wilt much faster than the roots themselves, however, so often beets are sold without their leaves.
Once home, trim the greens, leaving about an inch of stem. Eat your beets as soon as possible; if kept too long, their sugars turn to starch. Refrigerate beets in a plastic bag in the coldest part of your refrigerator for up to 1 week. The greens can be refrigerated in a plastic bag for up to 2 days before using. Wash greens and beets just prior to cooking. Modern beets are descended from the sea beet, a wild seashore plant that grows throughout southern Europe and northern Africa. They’re closely related to Swiss chard and spinach, and they’ve been eaten since prehistoric times. Originally only the leaves of the plant were favored. The Romans first cultivated the root, and eventually beets’ popularity spread north to Poland and east to Russia, where beet salads and soups — most notably borscht — are a national passion. Common beets are deep garnet in color and round in shape, generally averaging 2.5-3 inches in diameter, but farmer’s markets are the place to go for freshness and variety. Here you’ll find colorful hybrids such as Chioggia (candy cane), golden, and white beets, as well as golf-ball-sized baby specimens. Baby beets are increasingly popular and tend to be sweeter and milder than their mature counterparts. Beets are very versatile. They can be juiced, or eaten raw in salads when peeled and finely grated. Roasting concentrates their sugars and intensifies their trademark sweetness. They can also be steamed, baked, or boiled. No matter which technique you choose, cook beets in their skins to preserve both flavor and color. And don’t throw away the greens! The leaves on baby beets are mild and tender; they can be used raw in salads, tossed with pasta, or braised slowly in olive oil for a delicious side dish. Red beets contain a powerful dye called betacyanin. Once cut, beets will stain anything they touch a brilliant magenta color. Wear gloves to protect your hands when handling the roots. Cook beets of different colors separately to retain their colors. Beets make a beautiful addition to any meal. Celebrate the change of seasons with a gorgeous platter of spring vegetables — an assortment of jewel-like baby beets, tiny potatoes and turnips, finger-thick carrots, and asparagus. Steam them all separately, then serve them with a bowl of aioli for a spectacularly vibrant and healthy treat. Delicious and Nutritious, Too  In addition to their earthy, sweet flavor, beets offer excellent nutrition.
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