Our superfood spotlight for April is a vegetable that is as vibrant in color as it is versatile: beetroots (commonly referred to as beets). These hardy root vegetables are known for their earthy, sweet taste and they boast an impressive nutrient profile. While low in calories, beets are one of the few vegetables that contain a bit of almost every vitamin and mineral your body needs. More notably, beets are an excellent source of folate, manganese, copper and dietary fiber. Besides being highly nutritious, beets can also help boost athletic performance, endurance and speed thanks to betacyanin, a compound found in beets known to increase the oxygen-carrying capacity of blood. Other plant-based compounds in beets offer many additional health benefits like regulating blood pressure, fighting inflammation and cancer, and supporting brain health. Beets can be easily incorporated into your diet with preparations like salads, dips and juices. This Beet Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing is a great way to embrace the flavors of spring while reaping all of the health benefits of beets.
Ingredients
- 3 medium fresh beets
- 1 cup cucumber, finely chopped
- 6 green onions, thinly sliced
- ½ cup shredded carrot
- ½ cup red or yellow bell pepper, chopped
- ¼ cup red onion, chopped
- ¼ cup radish, finely chopped
- ¾ cup fresh parsley, minced
Dressing
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 3 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Scrub and trim beets then wrap in foil.
- Place beets on baking sheet and bake until tender or for 1 ¼ – 1 ½ hours.
- Peel beets and cut them into cubes.
- Place the remaining vegetables and parsley in a large bowl. Whisk together dressing ingredients; toss with cucumber mixture. Gently stir in beets.
Serving Information
Makes 6 Servings (⅔ cup)Nutrition Information
Serving(s): 116 calories, 7 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 173 mg cholesterol, 13 g carbs, 8 g sugar, 3 g fiber, 2 g protein.