Just ‘beet’ it

Beet greens, like radish tops and broccoli stems, are often discarded, but don’t do that. You’ll be throwing out perfectly good and nutritious produce.

In the case of broccoli, simply peel and slice up the stems, then cook along with the florets — steam, stir-fry or sauté, or cut them in chunks and add to your next soup or stew.

As for the greenery atop beets, radishes, carrots and the like are a good sign of freshness, so favor those bunches over trimmed versions. Chop up the greens and throw them in a salad, or cook them like spinach.

In this version, beet greens are cooked slightly, then mixed with roasted beets and a simple vinaigrette. Despite all this talk about greens, it’s really the beets that are the star of the show — sweet and earthy.And, so much better than what you’d get out of a can.

Beets ’N Greens

Ingredients:

• 1 pound beets with leafy greens attached (see note)

• 1/4 cup sweet onion, minced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Cut greens off of beets and scrub beets well. If beets are large, cut in half. Place in loaf pan, small baking pan or casserole dish. Add water to pan to depth of 1/2 inch, then seal with foil (or cover casserole). Bake 1 hour, or until beets are tender (poke them with a paring knife to check).

Meanwhile, cut beet leaves and stems into 1-inch pieces and rinse well. Bring pot of water to a boil, then blanch leaves and stems, just until wilted, about 1 minute. Drain and rinse with cold water, then squeeze dry.

Whisk together onion, garlic, vinegar and olive oil to make a dressing. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

When beets are cooked, drain cooking water and let sit until cooled slightly. Rub skins off under running water; they should slip off easily. Cut into wedges.

Toss beets and greens in dressing. Serve warm or chilled.

Serves 4.

Note:

If you can’t find beets with greens attached, substitute 8 ounces Swiss chard.

Approximate nutrient analysis per serving (not including salt to taste): 150 calories, 10 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 150 mg sodium, 12 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 7 g sugar, 2 g protein. Nutritional analysis provided by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S.

The Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation is an international nonprofit with a local office in Kaimuki. Its mission of community service includes the promotion of a healthy vegetarian lifestyle. To learn more, visit facebook.com/hawaiitzuchi or call 808-737-8885.