We have been eating a lot of beets around here lately. They are so sweet and versatile and packed full of nutrients that contribute to a healthy heart, improved athletic performance, cancer prevention and even detoxification from environmental toxins. I like them grated raw in salads, boiled and mashed with butter and salt, and roasted to bring out a caramel depth of flavor. The greens are edible as well, and so delicious, especially if you ever get bored of kale. The grocery store usually trims the greens off, which is another reason I like to grow them in the garden at home. The most common beets are deep reddish purple and the bright golden yellow beets, but chiogga beets are the most fun of all to cook with. Cut one open to find a shockingly gorgeous red and white spiral reminiscent of a peppermint candy. The flavor is crisp and sweet with a cotton candy aroma. Today for lunch I used all of the greens, otherwise known as “nose to tail” in these earthy quesadillas.
Recipe
- 1 rice or coconut flour tortilla
- 1 cup grated raw grass fed cheddar cheese or 1/2 cup goat cheese ( sometimes I like to use both!)
- 1 cup beet greens sliced into a chiffonade (thin ribbons) 1 cup raw shredded
- 1 cup raw shredded chioggoa beet
- 1 green onion, diced
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Heat 1 pat of butter in a cast iron pan over medium heat. Sprinkle cheese, onions, cilantro, shredded beets and beet greens evenly over tortilla. When cheese starts to melt, use a spatula to fold tortilla over in half. When golden brown, flip and brown on the other side.
Serve with avocado slices or guacamole.
Razi Berry, Founder and Publisher of Naturopathic Doctor News & Review (ndnr.com) and NaturalPath (thenatpath.com), has spent the last decade as a natural medicine advocate and marketing whiz. She has galvanized and supported the naturopathic community, bringing a higher quality of healthcare to millions of North Americans through her publications. A self-proclaimed health-food junkie and mother of two; she loves all things nature, is obsessed with organic gardening, growing fruit trees (not easy in Phoenix), laughing until she snorts, and homeschooling. She is a little bit crunchy and yes, that is her real name.