Tag Archives: beets

Recipe of the Week (Part Two): Beet Salad

Posted in kid's food, Recipes by

Yesterday I blogged about Beet Popsicles, and promised a follow-up recipe for those boiled beets. So here it is: the French classic Beet Salad, a staple in French homes and schools. Beets are excellent sources of iron and phytonutrients (and may also contain nitrites, so go easy on beets with toddlers and younger).

4 to 6 boiled beets
fresh parsley (I prefer flat rather than curly)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp wine vinegar (white vinegar works too, but you might want to use a little less)
1 tsp honey or maple syrup

Take 4 to 6 boiled beets and remove skins (they’ll simply peel off like a banana peel). Dice into bite-sized cubes. Fine-chop the parsley, and sprinkle on top.

In a separate, small bowl, mix together olive oil, vinegar, and honey (or maple syrup). Drizzle on top. Serves well cold or at room temperature. Keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days.

False Alarm Tip: Eating beets may cause pee (and even poo) to turn pinky-red, which may actually incite some kids to eat them!

Recipe of the Week (Part Two): Beet Salad

Posted in kid's food, Recipes by

Yesterday I blogged about Beet Popsicles, and promised a follow-up recipe for those boiled beets. So here it is: the French classic Beet Salad, a staple in French homes and schools. Beets are excellent sources of iron and phytonutrients (and may also contain nitrites, so go easy on beets with toddlers and younger).

4 to 6 boiled beets
fresh parsley (I prefer flat rather than curly)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp wine vinegar (white vinegar works too, but you might want to use a little less)
1 tsp honey or maple syrup

Take 4 to 6 boiled beets and remove skins (they’ll simply peel off like a banana peel). Dice into bite-sized cubes. Fine-chop the parsley, and sprinkle on top.

In a separate, small bowl, mix together olive oil, vinegar, and honey (or maple syrup). Drizzle on top. Serves well cold or at room temperature. Keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days.

False Alarm Tip: Eating beets may cause pee (and even poo) to turn pinky-red, which may actually incite some kids to eat them!

Recipe of the Week: Beet Popsicles (I promise, they’ll love it)

Posted in kid's food, Recipes by

Beets are not something that North American kids often eat. French kids, on the other hand, love them. Beet salad is a regular item on French school lunch menus. And it’s a staple item at French markets and even in big box grocery stores, as adults love eating beet salad.

So how to get your kids to eat beets? Why not start by introducing them to the taste of beets in a fun way: Beet Popsicles.

Thoroughly wash 4 to 6 raw beets. Cut off the tops and tails and discard. Then place the beets in a relatively deep pot. Don’t bother peeling (the peels slide off with ease once boiled).

Cover the beets with water, put on a lid, and boil. (The lid on the deep pot prevents red beet splatters all over your stove-top). After 20 to 30 minutes, test them to see if they’re done by sliding a knife in: they should be the texture of a slightly undercooked potato.

Drain the beets and **save the cooking water**. Set beets aside for beet salad (that’s tomorrow’s recipe 🙂 ). Mix the ‘beet juice’ (which will be deep red) with equal parts apple juice. Freeze in your favorite home popsicle maker.

The most fun part of all: these beet popsicles will turn your kid’s tongues and lips bright pink (which they love). But they’ll also stain any and all clothing and fabric, so beware. (I make my kids eat them outside!).

Once they’re used to the taste and color of beets, you can move on to the next step: Beet Salad. More about this in tomorrow’s post.

Bon Appetit!

Recipe of the Week: Beet Popsicles (I promise, they'll love it)

Posted in kid's food, Recipes by

Beets are not something that North American kids often eat. French kids, on the other hand, love them. Beet salad is a regular item on French school lunch menus. And it’s a staple item at French markets and even in big box grocery stores, as adults love eating beet salad.

So how to get your kids to eat beets? Why not start by introducing them to the taste of beets in a fun way: Beet Popsicles.

Thoroughly wash 4 to 6 raw beets. Cut off the tops and tails and discard. Then place the beets in a relatively deep pot. Don’t bother peeling (the peels slide off with ease once boiled).

Cover the beets with water, put on a lid, and boil. (The lid on the deep pot prevents red beet splatters all over your stove-top). After 20 to 30 minutes, test them to see if they’re done by sliding a knife in: they should be the texture of a slightly undercooked potato.

Drain the beets and **save the cooking water**. Set beets aside for beet salad (that’s tomorrow’s recipe 🙂 ). Mix the ‘beet juice’ (which will be deep red) with equal parts apple juice. Freeze in your favorite home popsicle maker.

The most fun part of all: these beet popsicles will turn your kid’s tongues and lips bright pink (which they love). But they’ll also stain any and all clothing and fabric, so beware. (I make my kids eat them outside!).

Once they’re used to the taste and color of beets, you can move on to the next step: Beet Salad. More about this in tomorrow’s post.

Bon Appetit!