Give This Recipe for Tasty, Nutritious Beets a Try

“Eating the rainbow” is a great way to harness the different micronutrients in fruits and vegetables.

Among the reds (and yellows), naturally sweet beets are a great source of folate, the B vitamin, fiber and potassium. If you shied away from beets as a kid, it’s time to give them a try.

A fun introduction involves using a spiralizer to prep the beets. It’s an essential kitchen tool for those who love a big plate of pasta but not the carb and calorie overload that comes with it. The spiralizer turns veggies like beets, as well carrots and sweet potatoes, into spaghetti-like squiggles.

Spiralized beets make a nutritious swap for the standard pasta used to make classic cold sesame noodles, a zesty, do-ahead dish that family and guests alike will love.

Cold Sesame Beet Noodles

4 large beets, peeled
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce or Sriracha
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/3 cup unsalted vegetable or chicken broth
1/4 cup peanuts, roughly chopped
4 scallions, chopped

Select the spiralizer blade for the thickness of the noodles you want to make. Fit a beet into the front of the spiralizer where spikes hold the vegetable in place. Next press the hand crank into the other side of the beet. To make noodles, turn the crank while pressing the beet into the blade.

Warm a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sesame oil and the beet noodles, cooking two to three minutes until the beets begin to soften.

In a large bowl, whisk the peanut butter, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce or Sriracha, garlic and broth. Toss in the noodles and chill at least one hour. Just before serving, sprinkle with the peanuts and scallions.

Yield: 4 servings

More information

Read more about the nutrients in beets at the George Mateljan Foundation.