The weekend is here once again and my Friday has been looking to be a good day. I woke up with a “get things done” kind of attitude, nothing was going to stop me today. My lower back has been feeling a little tight lately so I decided I’d switch up my morning yoga stretch a bit, focusing on that area instead. Opened my bedroom window, let the fresh air in, unrolled my mat, put on some calm mediation music and “Ohm” I went. Ahh, I definitely needed that.
Earlier this week I cooked beets I picked up at the farmer’s market and refrigerated them to use throughout the week, saving the beet water too. So for breakfast I made this refreshing, energizing and nutrient rich Carrot Ginger Beet Juice.
Juicing is great way to kick-start your morning but it can’t hold you off until lunchtime. My mid-morning snack consisted of 2 egg whites, 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes and fresh arugula. Then I starting thinking, even though I’ve always heard beets were great for you, I didn’t really know exactly why. So I did some research and found that beets are a pretty powerful vegetable! Guess I was on to something..
- They’re great for pregnant women, because they are high in folic acid with 37% of your daily requirement
- They’re a beautiful rich red color, from the high levels of potassium 12.6%, calcium, manganese 22.5% and antioxidants {especially betacyanin}
- Don’t throw away the leafy greens, they contain more iron 6%, vitamin A, potassium and calcium than the roots
- They are a natural provider of, sugar, sodium, sulphur, chlorine, iodine, tryptophan 9.3%, phosphorus 5.4%, magnesium 7.8%, copper 5% and vitamin B1, B2, C 11.1% and bioflavonoids
- They help detoxify your body, cleansing and removing toxins from the kidneys and gallbladder {especially when mixed with carrot and cucumber juices}
- They have added fiber 15.2%, which help you not only feel fuller but also prevent parasites in the large intestine
- They are a powerful disease fighter, having shown to protect against heart disease, birth defects, the digestive system, and certain cancers {especially colon cancer}
- They are an unusual source for Betaine, the key vitamin in regulating inflammation in the cardiovascular system
Who knew this little red root vegetable can do so much good for our body?
Beets are available all year round, but the best time to get them is from June to October. Choose small/medium beets that are firm, smooth and deep in color. Don’t wash them before storing them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, where they can last up to 3 weeks.
Raw beets are the most nutritious form of the veggie, with only about 58 calories for a medium beet. You can still get its powerful nutrients by lightly cooking {about 15 minutes} or baking/roasting them {about 1 hour}. Cooking them lightly prevents them from losing all their valuable nutrients that are slightly heat sensitive. My favorite way to enjoy beets is in juices, shredded on top of green salads, pureed as a soup, or roasted with garlic. Like I mentioned before don’t throw away the water you cooked your beets in either! You can use it an a juice like I did this morning or you can cook your pasta, rice, quinoa, potatoes, oatmeal, eggs, etc…adding extra nutrients, a buttery taste and rich deep red color to your boring white foods.
So then for lunch I had more beets, and made this simple and fresh Beet Kale Salad.
I mean I have a passion for food and know a good amount about it, but this definitely inspired me to learn more in-depth about foods that I’m eating. I’m looking forward to researching special items I bring home from the market, and experimenting with some healthy dishes!
Carrot Ginger Beet Juice
Ingredients {Makes 1 serving}
6 – Carrots {peeled}
1 inch – Fresh Ginger
1 cup – Beet juice {if you don’t have it then juice 1-2 beets}
Recipe
Juice your beets, carrots and ginger in a juicer. Fill glass with ice and serve immediately.
Kale Beet Salad
Ingredients
1/2 – Beet {thinly sliced}
2 – Celery Stalks {thinly sliced}
1/2 cup – English Cucumber {thinly seeded}
1 tablespoon – Fresh Dill
1 tablespoon – Fresh Italian Parsley
2 cups – Fresh Kale {if you don’t like the taste of fresh Kale you can swap it for Spinach or Arugula}
1 tablespoon – Olive Oil
1 tablespoon – Fresh Lemon Juice
Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1/2 – Avocado {diced}
3 tablespoons – Sunflower Seeds {toasted}
Recipe
Make the beet mixture, by combining the beet, celery, cucumber, dill and parsley, Set aside.
To serve, top the kale with the beet mixture. Season with the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Top with the avocado and sunflower seeds.
Um, yum… I think salads are going to be making a comeback this year if they all look as yummy as this one!
Salads are great! They’ve just been getting a bad rap lately, all they need is a little creativity 🙂