Last night I learned a very important lesson.
I like beets.
It came as a shock to me since I’ve been trying them now for about two years. A little here, a little there. And every time, my thoughts were, “They’re not disgusting, but I would never choose to eat beets.”
Well last night, I chose to try beets again and just like I’ve learned to eat dark leafy greens, okra, sweet potatoes, tomatoes (yes, at one point I didn’t like sweet pots or ‘maters – shudder), I have now learned to like beets.
These beets eased me into it, but the roasted beets I incorporated into last night’s meal, solidified it. I like beets. 
Roasted Beet and Walnut Couscous (serves 1)
1/3 cup whole wheat couscous
2/3 cup vegetable stock
1/2 a large beet (~5 inches in diameter), cubed*
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 oz. feta cheese
2 Tbsp. walnuts, chopped
Roast beets on an oiled pan at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes; flip with a spatula and allow to cook an addition 10-15 minutes. (You’ll know when they’re done because they will shrivel a bit as shown in the photo above.)
Cook couscous in vegetable stock according to package direction. When couscous and beets are fully cooked, place all ingredients into a large bowl and toss to make sure ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the dish.
Serve and enjoy!
*I didn’t peel my beets which I found is kind of unnecessary if you roast them well. A little extra fiber never hurt anyone is fine unless you have trouble digesting fiber. Plus peeling beets are super messy and laborious. I’m all about quick and easy.
What a delicious and fresh summery meal! I can’t wait to make this as a side for Brad, who will want a piece of meat to round out his meal. This portion was enough for me as a meal (with some roasted green beans). I love dishes that incorporate a lot of different flavors and textures and this dish does just that. Plus it doesn’t hurt if the dish is pretty to look at; including veggies always makes for a prettier meal.
You may be wondering why I’ve forced myself to try beets over and over, despite not having an initial liking for them. There are two reasons:
1- 99% of the vegetables I eat were learned; I didn’t like them initially or maybe even the third time I tried them. By trying them in different ways and repeatedly, I developed a taste for them. Can you imagine what it would be like to eat virtually no vegetables? Welcome to my diet in high school.
2 – Beets are soooo good for you. Some of the health benefits:
- Beets contain powerful nutrient compounds that help protect against heart disease, birth defects, and certain cancers;
- have a unique combination of antioxidants – Vitamin C and Manganese;
- contains uncommon phytonutrients that act as anti-inflammatory compounds; and
- supports detoxification by aiding in the elimination of toxins for the body.Early stage research shows that beets might be beneficial for:
- Eye health
- Overall nerve tissue healthy
- Cardiovascular health
- Preventing cancer (source)
What’s your favorite way to eat beets? Links to recipes are welcome!
Do you have any vegetables that you had to learn to like and how did you do it?
so happy you discovered a love for beets!
they are delicious! the couscous combo looks great!
I looked up your recipe and it looks good too!
Between you and http://www.hungrymeetshealthy.com, I am starting to want to try beets! All I know about them is that my mom likes to eat the canned ones, which have such a cloying smell to them. I’m going to beet myself up if they are amazing and I’ve been missing out!
No pun intended.
Haha! You’re clever.
You should try them and remember, if you don’t like them at first, keep trying them and maybe you’ll learn to like them.
When I was younger, I HATED beets. In fact, I gagged one time when my mother made me eat them. Now I am pretty much obsessed with them. I love putting them in salads, but they taste incredible in my juice each morning.
So funny you just posted this! I just made a great roasted beet salad for dinner tonight! Post on that coming soon
Thanks for posting the nutritional benefits, I was curious what they were! Also, I’m actually partial to the golden beets, although, I like both red and golden.
Ooh, I hope I get some golden beets in my CSA box. I only ever notice the red ones at the farmer’s market but I’ll try to look more closely for the golden ones.
First of all, I love reading your blog. I grew up in Winston-Salem and live in Cary now, but know Charlotte fairly well and am forever putting notes in my phone of restaurants you talk about for the next time I’m there! I’m typically a silent observer, but you’ve hit on one of my favorites… beets! I ADORE beets! I always, always have.. even as a kid — but then again, I was that kid that loved all veggies. Even brussels sprouts. Seriously!
Next time you try beets, I’d love to recommend my favorite way of preparing them – that keeps you clean(er)! Cut the green tops off, give them a good scrubbing, then pop them in a 9×13 dish with about a quarter inch of water in the bottom. Roast them on 375 for about 35-45 minutes, depending on how big they are. They’re done when you can pierce them easily with a fork or knife. Let them cool for about 5 minutes, then – wearing powder free gloves (super cheap at any drug store) just rub the peel off. Seriously, it slides RIGHT off! Then you can cut them up to whatever size you’d like and I guarantee they’ll be juicy and sweet and delicious.
Also, since you’re a cheese girl (just like me!), try them with a little Chevre on them. And you can cook the greens like any other leafy green, too!
And now I’m that crazy rambling commenter. Enjoy your new-found fondness for beets!
Thanks so much for telling me this! I love knowing different ways to prepare new things. Yum, Chevre! Feel free to ramble anytime.