Have you ever seen a prettier vegetable than beets? With their vibrant purple hue, beets are not only pretty to look at, but they're also delicious and provide tons of great nutritional benefits. They're also extremely versatile and can be used as a healthier substitute in many different recipes. Go out and get yourself a bunch of beets, then get ready to eat them in every meal with these fresh beet recipes.
1. Beet Hummus
Love hummus but getting tired of the same ol' spread you usually eat? Try whipping up this beet-based variety that combines this versatile vegetable with tahini, lemon juice, and a couple spices for a delicious new twist on your favorite dip. Serve with homemade veggie chips for an added healthy bonus.
2. Roast Beet Sandwich
Both vegetarians and meat eaters will rave over this flavorful sandwich that's made with micro greens, pickled red onions, beets, and Brie. I'd recommended throwing this in the toaster or a panini press before serving in order to melt the Brie a little bit. It's bound to be heaven in your mouth.
3. Citrus Beet Salad
With spinach, almonds, lentils, and beets, this salad packs a super(food) punch of yummy good-for-you ingredients. The grains amp up the protein content and help keep you full until your next meal, while orange slices provide a balance of citrusy freshness and bright color. This quick salad is perfect for lunchtime when you're in a time crunch.
4. Beet Brownies
These purple-hued brownies are as tasty as they are pretty. The use of beet puree gives them a great soft texture that makes these brownies melt in your mouth. The addition of dark chocolate chunks helps to amp up the sweetness so you won't even be able to tell they're made from a vegetable.
5. Beet and Barley Risotto
If you're not aware, barley is a nutritious, fiber-filled grain that's a great source of protein, iron, and other vitamins. It's a perfect base for this bold, beet-filled risotto.
6. Baked Beet Chips
Ditch the greasy Lay's and artificially-flavored Doritos for some all-natural beet chips. Chive sea salt makes this crispy, satisfying snack all the more addictive, especially when paired with a healthy, homemade dip.
7. Chocolate Beet Cake
This (vegan!) cake combines beets with chocolate, proving that vegetables can indeed make a great dessert. Aside from its pretty pink shade, you won't even know the beets are in there (copious amounts of chocolate icing help too).
8. Beet Fritters
Fritters are great for a range of dishes, from breakfast to dinner to snacking. These beet-based babies are no exception, and they feature a dairy-free garlic cashew cream sauce that's to die for.
9. Beet Burgers
You won't even miss the meat in these hearty, flavorful vegetarian burgers made with beets, flaxseed, walnuts, and brown rice. Serve with the yummy beet fries below for a healthy and environmentally-friendly meal you'll feel great about eating.
10. Beet Fries
At this point you should be astonished by how versatile beets are. You can make them into fries! That's a top prize quality for a vegetable, if you ask me. This healthy alternative to your favorite snack is about to be your new obsession, so make sure to keep extras to keep in your fridge for whenever hunger strikes.
11. Beet Smoothie
Start your day off with this super smoothie to keep you going all morning long. It's packed with apples, celery, carrot juice, beets, and peaches for a beautiful blend of fruit that's both delicious and healthy. The addition of ginger helps to reduce muscle soreness, chronic indigestion, and cholesterol.
12. Warm Beet Salad
This sustainable salad puts the beet stems to use, which are usually thrown out. These provide a satisfying texture and flavor to go along with quinoa, feta cheese, and greens that makes for a perfect prepped lunch to take to work or class.
13. Chocolate Beet Truffles
When your sweet tooth starts acting up, these wonderful chocolate beet truffles will serve as your healthy hero. Use dark chocolate for an extra boost of cognitive function, alertness, and memory.
14. Beet Tacos
Combine Meatless Monday and Taco Tuesday into one delicious meal with these vegetarian beet tacos. Made with beets, sweet potatoes, Granny Smith apples, and sunflower seeds, this vibrant array of flavors is so scrumptious you won't be able to stop at just one. Drizzle on some Sriracha for an extra spicy kick.
15. Strawberry and Beet Pancakes
These pancakes allow you to get your morning dose of both fruit and veggies in at breakfast, while still delivering on the sweet and irresistible breakfast you know and love. A stack of these babies make for the perfect meal to start your day on your best foot.
16. Beet Soup
While its bright red color might throw you off, this soup is anything but scary. Made from wholesome beets, coconut milk, and ginger, it's just the thing you need to fend off sickness and provide comfort on a cold winter day.
17. Beet Slaw
A tangy, sweet, texture-filled dish, this beet slaw makes for a versatile side dish, salad topping, or sandwich addition. Make a big batch and keep it your fridge for endless opportunities to add some freshness to a meal or snack.
You can find beets in-season as early as June, but in the meantime they should be available at your local grocery store. Here are some super simple instructions for peeling beets— just make sure to wear gloves or else you'll wind up with purple hands (which could be cool, so up to you). Load up on these purple babies and enjoy beets any time of the day.