‘Beet’ the heat!

#Middlebury #KitchenDiva

It’s hot here in Texas, and there’s nothing better than a cool, refreshing pitcher of … beet lemonade?! Yes, that’s right, beet lemonade. It’s not only delicious, it’s also packed with nutrients. While beets aren’t typically showcased in summer recipes, they should be. If you’re trying to improve your health and beat the heat, give beets a try.

Beet greens are the tops, and beet roots, or tap roots, are the bottom of the plant. Beet varieties in North America are known as table beets or garden beets, red beets or golden beets. Beets are a popular ingredient worldwide and are used for food coloring, medicinal purposes and sugar production. Sugar beets are a special type of beet that contains high concentrations of sucrose and is grown commercially. These beets are an important part of the sugar industry, and the United States is a leader in their production.

Beets are versatile. They can be juiced, roasted, steamed or pickled. They also can be bought precooked and canned for convenience. When selecting beets, choose ones that are heavy for their size with fresh, unwilted green leafy tops still attached.

Beets are packed with essential vitamins, minerals and plant compounds, and have an impressive nutritional profile. They are high in vitamins and minerals, and low in calories. The roots are especially concentrated in folate or vitamin B-9, providing more than five times the amount as the beet leaves. Folate is important because it helps with DNA synthesis and repair. It also encourages cell and tissue growth.

Beets also contain a high concentration of nitrates, which have a blood pressure-lowering effect. This may lead to a reduced risk of heart attacks, heart failure and stroke. The dietary nitrates in beets are converted into nitric oxide, a molecule that dilates blood vessels, increasing oxygen use and causing blood pressure to drop. This is particularly beneficial for athletes. Dietary nitrates are water soluble, so it is best to avoid boiling beets. The nitrates help increase blood flow to the brain, improve cognitive function and possibly reduce the risk of dementia. However, more research in this area is needed.

Beets are a good source of fiber, which aids in digestive health, as well as reducing the risk of several chronic health conditions. Beets also have a high water and low-calorie content, which makes them beneficial for weight loss.

Try these ways to add more beets to your diet:
Beetroot salad – Grated beets make a flavorful and colorful addition to coleslaw.
Beetroot dip – Blend beets with Greek yogurt to make a delicious and healthy dip.
Beetroot juice – Fresh beetroot juice is best, as store-bought juice can be high in added sugars and may contain only a small number of beets.
Beetroot leaves – Cook and enjoy like spinach, add to smoothies and use in pesto.

For relief from the summer heat, make this recipe for Beet Lemonade, and enjoy beets for a cool and refreshing treat!

Beet Lemonade

If you don’t have a food processer, you can shred the beets by hand (no need to peel). Finely grate one bunch beets on a surface lined with cheesecloth on top of wax paper. The more finely grated, the more juice you’ll get. Gather the grated beets in the cheesecloth, tightly twist the top closed and squeeze the juice into a large liquid measuring cup. It’s intense, so blend it with lemon juice as directed below, or with fruit or vegetable juice, like orange or carrot. Transfer the juice to a container and refrigerate up to 3 days.

Try refreshing and nutritious beet lemonade this summer. (Depositphotos photo)

1 small beet
½ cup lemon juice (approximately 5 lemons)
½ cup sugar or stevia
6 cups cold water, divided

Cover your work surface with wax paper or plastic wrap before you begin peeling the beet. Wear disposable gloves or rub any stains off your skin with a halved lemon. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the beet skin.
Attach the shredding blade to a food processor and shred the beet chunks equaling about 1 cup of shredded beets. Scoop shredded beets into a bowl and set aside.
Remove food processor bowl from base and rinse out; replace the clean bowl onto the food processor and insert the regular processor blade. Add shredded beets, lemon juice, sugar or stevia and 1 cup of water and process until smooth.
Strain the beet mixture through a sieve into a large bowl, pressing with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Transfer liquid into a pitcher and dilute with remaining water. Adjust sugar or water levels to taste. Refrigerate before serving. Makes 8 cups.

Angela Shelf Medearis is an award-winning children’s author, culinary historian and the author of seven cookbooks. Her new cookbook is “The Kitchen Diva’s Diabetic Cookbook.” Her website is www.divapro.com. To see how-to videos, recipes and much, much more, Like Angela Shelf Medearis, The Kitchen Diva! on Facebook. Recipes may not be reprinted without permission from Angela Shelf Medearis.