Sauteed Beet Greens

So you bought a bunch of beets to make roasted vegetables...and before scrubbing the dirt coated beets, you chop off the greens and toss them in the garbage.  Stop!  Rewind.  Fill your sink with cold water first.  Then, as you are about to drop the greens into the garbage, put them in the sink to soak and clean off the dirt.  The greens are completely edible and packed with nutrients and provide a nice side dish. 

I learned this from taking the food preparation classes at Bastyr.  What a great way to use the whole food.  Another trick they taught us was how to efficiently cut them, once you take them out of the sink and towel dry them or salad spin them.

First: Stack a few leaves on top of each other on a cutting board, putting the largest leaf on the bottom.



Second: Roll the greens into a large sushi roll shape.

Third: Make cross sectional slices through the roll.

Four: This creates festive green ribbons.

You can now choose to saute them or you can eat them raw in a salad.  Cut the stems into eraser-sized bits to add to the mix for a little extra fiber.  You can use this method for any green, such as kale, chard or collard greens.  I sauted the greens, using the recipe below, and ate them as a side to scrambled eggs.  It made for a nice light dinner after a long workout at the gym.

Fun, easy and quick way to impress yourself and others!





Sauteed Beet Greens

Greens from two bunches beets (or however many bunches you have)

Olive oil

1 clove garlic

Pepper to taste

1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce

Clean off beet greens in a sink of cold water.  Pat dry with towel or salad spinner.  Stack a few greens on top of each other and make a large roll.  Cut cross-sectional cuts to make ribbons.  Repeat with remaining greens.  Cut the stems into small pencil eraser sized pieces.

Heat a medium saute pan over medium heat.  Add olive oil.  Saute the stems for a few minutes.  Add garlic.  Saute for a minute.  Add greens and toss to coat with garlic and oil.  Stir until the greens decrease in volume.  Add pepper.  Pour in soy sauce and stir to coat greens.  Cover and let simmer for a minute or two.  Uncover to let soy sauce reduce.  Turn off heat and serve as a side dish to dinner or as a healthy snack!