And the BEET goes on.......

A healthy Valentine?

Roasted Beets and Jasmine Rice Salad
Or you could substitue couscous and call it
B'couscous I Love You


1 pound red beets (3 or 4 medium)
2 1/2 Cups Cooked Jasmine Rice
2 Tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tbs. Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
1 tsp. Raspberry Vinegar, more if needed
1/4 tsp. Salt, plus more if needed
2 Tbs. Thinly Sliced Scallion Greens (optional)
2 Tbs. Pine Nuts, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Trim off any beet greens, leaving about a half-inch of stem intact. Rinse the beets. Wrap each beet individually in a tightly sealed aluminum foil packet. Set the beets on a foil-lined baking pan and bake until you can easily pierce them to the center with a paring knife, approx 60-90 minutes. (You can pierce the beets right through the foil.)

When they are cool enough to handle, gently rub the foil of each still-sealed packet against the beet. Slip off the beet skins along with the foil. Trim off the tail and stems ends. Cut the beets into 1/4-inch dice and set them in a bowl or storage container. Add the rice and toss until the rice is “dyed” beet red.

In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, vinegar, and salt. Toss the dressing with the beets. Adjust the seasonings, adding more vinegar and or salt, if needed, to intensify the flavors.

Let the salad sit until the grains absorb some flavor, about 15 minutes.

Stir in the scallion greens (if using) just before serving.

Garnish with pine nuts.

Serve at room temperature.





Buraczki ze Smietana
Pronunciation: boo-RAHCH-kee zheh shmeeyeh-TAHN-ah
Beets with Sour Cream



Ingredients:
• 4 cooked beets or 2 cups canned or jarred beets, drained
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup sour cream
• Salt and black pepper
• Chopped dill for garnish

Preparation:
1. Cut beets into strips or julienne. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients except for dill.
2. Heat just to the boiling for hot vegetable,
OR refrigerate if serving cold.
3. Garnish with chopped dill.





Spiced Pickled Beets


INGREDIENTS
• 2/ 14.5oz cans sliced canned beets, juice reserved
(Or 2 ½ cups of fresh heart-shaped chiogga beets which would be 3 or 4 medium size beets)
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 whole cloves
• 3 black peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 small onion, sliced

DIRECTIONS
1. Place the beets into a medium bowl and set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine vinegar and 1/2 cup beet juice and bring to a boil. Add sugar, cloves, peppercorns, bay leaf, salt and onion, and return to a boil. Remove from heat, and pour mixture over the beets. Toss until coated, cover and chill. Serve the beets very cold.