Beets and Beet greens???

[TanksHill]

Today I picked some beets from my garden. 4 large and 4 medium.. Anyways, I have never planted beets before but I love them roasted. So thats what I am doing. My question is the greens. I googled some recipes, found that they are eaten raw and cooked. I thought about preparing them with a Wilted Spinach Salad recipe. Bacon, vinegar, onions etc...

Does anyone have any favorite recipes or suggestions?

Thanks gina

 

[Wifezilla]

Glad you are trying this out. I am planting some this year. Never did it before. Never ate them either. I don't think my mom liked them

 

[big brown horse]

Beets!!! SOOOO HEALTHY!!

I'm sure you know this but it will turn everything that comes out of you bright red. My daugter's babysitter when she was a toddler called me during a nice dinner with friends (a once in a lifetime get away when she was a toddler!) to tell me she had a bloody diaper.
I rushed home and was in a HUGE panic until I remembered what we had to eat earlier...beets.

We always ate greens (we lived in the south) with every meal. Beet greens are yummy just steamed with salt and butter. Bacon makes them even better, something about the fat and the greens that make them pair well.

Your beets look beautiful!! I am so envious!

 

[sylvie]

Boiled with salt and butter here, too.
When my mother gave me the go-ahead to pick some beet greens for dinner, it was going to be a great meal!
I detest the beets, though; go figure!

 

[freemotion]

Ummmm.....have a back-up plan, just in case.....beet greens taste like dirt to me

 

[TanksHill]

Ok well it went well. I cooked the greens with a wilted spinach recipe. Minus the mushrooms and egg. But added chives from the garden. Then just before I took them to the table I cut up one of the larger roasted beets and tossed it in as well.
Here's the vote.....
My ds who is 8 and eats anything I make loved it.
dd 6, who is a very picky veggie and fruit eater liked the greens and bacon but would not try the beets.
dd 3, ate the beat but not the greens.
Dad, had to be forced to eat some. Set a good example I said. He tried the greens and said the were fine. Would not eat a beet.

Can you tell where my 6 year old gets it from.

Over all it was fine. I love the fact that we used the whole beet. There are even greens left for chickens and bunny. I think since it is still so early in the season I will plant some more. Maybe to can???

Sylvie when you say "picked beet greens" did you take them off the beet while it was still in the ground? Kinda like you can do with lettuce? I kept thinking if the greens were younger they would have been a bit more tender. they were still great though.

I think I may use the leftover salad dressing to dye my hair!!!

Free your so funny.... I actually threw together a green salad at the last minute for dh. I figured one hot veggie one cold. Dirt huh???

 

[sylvie]

Yes, we left the beets in the ground until they matured to 2" or so. We began picking the greens when 3-4" tall, taking 1 or 2 from each plant.
When I harvest the mature beets for Dh, we eat those large greens, too. Lately he has me canning baby beets for him, so there's the medium size greens there.
I guess either you love them or you don't!

When I make a fresh mixed green salad I throw some tiny beet greens in.

 

[Wifezilla]

Ummmm.....have a back-up plan, just in case.....beet greens taste like dirt to me

That's why I have ducks aka the feathered garbage disposals

 

[freemotion]

Yep, chickens and goats are good for this, too. Last fall when I picked the last of the root veggies I laid all the greens to dry on top of the stacked wood that was under a roof. Then I fed them as treats to my goatie-girls. Not enough to make much difference nutritionally, but enough to keep me on a pedestal in their funny little eyes!

 

[Mahonri]

Beet greens are my favorite.

Boiled in salt water, and then slathered in butter w/ lemon juice. YUM!!!