As much as we'd all like to think it's a good idea to eat heart-shaped chocolates for breakfast, lunch, and dinner on Valentine's Day, there might be something out there that will help balance out our diet for the day. If you're feeling adventurous, that thing might just happen to be the vibrant and vitamin-packed root vegetable that is the beet.
I know, why eat vegetables when you can eat candy? I hear you, but what if we compromised and made all this vegetable-filled food festive shades of pink and red?
Not only are beets great for our bodies and health, but they turn everything pink. Take a break from food coloring and try naturally coloring your food this Valentine's Day.
Whether you steam, roast or eat them raw, beets add an unmatchable flavor that can be paired with sweet or savory.
Try out these simple beet recipes that will make your day more fun and maybe even make your Valentine's heart beat a little bit faster.
Sweet Beet Smoothie
Make your favorite morning smoothie a little more beautiful by adding beets. Not only is this smoothie a 10 in the looks department, but it is a great breakfast to eat on the go.
What you need:
-1 roasted beet
-1 banana
-1 tbs. chia seeds
-1 cup frozen cherries
-1 cup milk (or milk alternative)
-Honey to taste
To achieve this deep magenta, throw the ingredients in a blender and blend it until smooth.
Heartbeet Muffins
Are you in the mood to bake but you have more sweets in the house than you know what to do with? These healthy beet muffins will satisfy your sweet tooth but can be eaten at any time of day guilt-free.
What you need:
-2 beets
-Blueberries
-1 egg
-1 cup oats
-1 tsp. baking powder
-A dash of cinnamon
-1/2 cup sugar
-1 tsp. vanilla extract
-1 cup flour
-1/3 cup vegetable oil
-1/4 cup milk
Step 1: Preheat oven at 375 degrees and place liners in muffin tin.
Step 2: Process beets, egg, oil, sugar together until smooth
Step 3: Mix in flour, oats, cinnamon, vanilla and baking powder until combined. Last, add blueberries and lightly stir in.
Step 4: Pour into tins and bake for 25-30 mins
Crimson Cakes
Make prettier and healthier pancakes with these sweet stacks. Take one look at the bright pink batter and you might regret eating plain old pancakes this whole time.
-1 roasted beet
-1 cup of milk (or milk alternative)
-1 large egg
-2 tbs. vegetable oil or melted butter
-1 cup all purpose flour
-3/4 tbs. baking powder
-1 tbs. brown sugar
-1 tbs. cocoa powder
-1/4 teaspoon salt
Step 1: Wet ingredients- Blend the roasted beet and milk until smooth. Add butter and eggs until combined.
Step 2: Dry ingredients- Mix together flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, brown sugar, and salt.
Step 3: Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir until combined.
Step 4: Heat and grease griddle. Pour pancake and watch carefully until it sets up. Flip it over and cook until the center is no longer gooey.
Beets and Hunny Toast
What you need:
-Honey-flavored goat Cheese
-1 roasted beet
-Honey
This one may require a more sophisticated palate, but I think it is the tastiest recipe on the list. First things first, spread some honey-flavored goat cheese on a piece of toast. All you have to do now is place slices of roasted beets on top with a drizzle of honey.
The flavors of the beets and goat cheese are gracefully blended together by the sweet presence of honey. Even if you are yet to get on board with the whole goat cheese trend, this toast is definitely worth a try.
Hearty Beet Sandwich
Don't be mistaken, beets aren't always as sweet as they seem. While they are sweet by nature, they have the chops to pair deliciously with a variety of savory flavors.
This sandwich leaves lots of room for creativity. Depending on how stocked your refrigerator is, there are dozens of sandwiches you can add beets to. My favorite easy combination is made by piling turkey, swiss cheese, spinach, beets and horseradish aioli between two pieces of whole-grain bread.
Beets are such a versatile vegetable that can be used to compliment almost any meal. It's never a bad idea to add a little color to your meal, but Valentine's Day is the perfect time to experiment.