SUPERFOOD HIGHWAY: Part 2

BEETS

Beets might not be first thing you think of when at the grocery store, but don’t let those beets fool you. Underneath that dull appearance, beets have a buttery, sweet flavour and a whole whack of nutrients!


Beets have been known for many years to aid with all sorts of ailments.


Name a few? Ok....are you ready for the list??




Health Benefits:


• Drinking beet juice regularly aids with relief of constipation
• Effective in preventing lung, liver, and skin cancer
• Helps with red blood cell production
• Beets can help in normalizing blood pressure.
• They help keep the elasticity in your veins


What can they do for your skin? Well, beets can be incredibly beneficial in the prevention and cure of skin inflammation, acne, dry skin problems, dandruff and pustules. It also helps eliminate blemishes and promotes healthy skin and hair growth. Wow! Who knew??


As tempting as it may be to go the easy route and use the canned beets....go for fresh ones. In addition to the obvious reasons, the fresh ones come with a bonus - savoury greens! Yum, yum!

1 cup of raw beets has 58 calories!!

Recipe Idea:

 
Bay Leaf Beet Soup


• 4 large red beets, trimmed
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

•1 red onion, chopped
•2 tablespoons chopped leek
•4 cloves garlic, chopped
•4 cups vegetable broth
•5 bay leaves, broken in half
•1 pinch ground cinnamon
•1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
•1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
•1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
•1/8 teaspoon dried basil
•1 pinch ground cinnamon
•1 pinch ground cumin
•1 pinch dried tarragon


1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Wrap beets in foil.

2. Bake the beets until tender, about 1 hour; allow cooling, and then peeling the beets. Cut them into bite-size chunks.

3. Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat, and cook the red onion, leek, and garlic until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Pour in the vegetable broth, and mix in the beets, bay leaves, cinnamon, salt, black pepper, oregano, basil, cinnamon, cumin, and tarragon. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until the flavours of the bay leaves and spices are blended, 20 to 25 minutes. Pick out bay leaves.

4. Ladle about 1/4 of the beets into a blender, and add soup liquid as needed to fill the blender about 1/4 full. Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, and carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the beets and broth moving before leaving it on to puree. Puree the beets until smooth, and pour back into the soup.
Cheers to beauty-ful days!
Nina
The Urban Beauty Bar