The common beet root

After doing some research, Mum and I found out that beet root* (as well as their leaves) are an incredibly nutritious vegetable.  They have a high percentage of folate and manganese, as well as fiber, vitamin C, tryptophan, magnesium, and other trace minerals like iron, copper and phosphorus.   You can read all about what that means for our bodies here.

I had generally avoided this vegetable growing up because it seemed so slippery and likely to stain.  At home we often use the canned version which leaves it's texture bland at best.  I wrote it off as Grandma food.  However, it's such a commonly used vegetable at home that I am at least accustomed to the taste, and had grown to enjoy it, even if I don't regularly seek it out.  I do miss the kiwi burger and Jbird and I had recently tried the canned version on our home made burgers.  However they're canned in water here instead of vinegar and don't quite taste right.  Anyway, while mum was here we sourced some fresh beet root tucked away in the leafy green section of the produce department in the supermarket.  That night we made a delicious fresh salad by grating some of the root, adding some of the leaves alongside other lettuce type leaves - alone, their flavour is overpower, mixing in some grated carrot, grated garlic, and a vinaigrette of olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon juice.  Since then Jbird and I have enjoyed a version of this salad many times.  He doesn't love the fresh garlic on it and I agree it steals a lot of the flavour so I only add it rarely and sparingly.  The only vegetable I have found that didn't seem to improve this salad were fresh mushrooms.  I think they absorbed the oil, leaving the salad dry tasting instead of sweet and moist.  It's a lovely salad to enjoy in these winter months when fresh vegetables don't seem so appetising.   

*beet root - beets