Do not discard greens leaves & stalks when you buy fresh beetroot. They are, in fact, the most nutrient-rich part of the plant with amazing health benefits.
Beet greens are an excellent source of Vitamin C, K, A, B1, B2, B3, B6 And E. They are also a source of Copper, Potassium, Manganese, Magnesium, Fibre, Calcium Iron, Pantothenic Acid, Phosphorus, Zinc and Folate.
Immunity boosting, beet greens contain 60% of your daily intake, fighting cold and flu viruses. The high Nitrate levels help to lower blood pressure and improve cardiovascular function, reducing the risk of heart disease. Beet greens are more Iron rich than spinach and therefore offer improved blood health properties.
Studies have shown that a cup of beet greens contains 100% of our daily requirement of Vitamin A, proven to improve eye health and general energy levels.
And it doesn’t stop there. Vitamins K and D along with Calcium and Magnesium help to provide strong bones and healthy teeth. Vitamin B6, may improve mood and can offer improvements in mental health issues. Vitamin K content may also slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. The high fibre content improves digestion encouraging healthy gut bacteria.
So when you buy Beetroot, apply the Zero Waste rule and use the entire plant.
INGREDIENTS ------------------
serves 2
1 large bunch beet greens
180 - 200 g linguine [or other long pasta]
6 green asparagus, shaved with a vegetable peeler
1 tbsp cooking oil
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 shallot or small white onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp unrefined salt
green pesto [basil or this Vegan Carrot Tops Pesto]
1/2 fresh red chilli, chopped [or chilli flakes]
freshly ground black pepper
fresh parsley, chopped
METHOD ---------------------
Wash the beet greens. Trim the leaves from the stems. Cut the stems into small pieces [ca. 2 cm] and roughly chop the beet greens.
In a large pot, bring salted water to boil. Cook pasta as per instructions [al dente].
Heat the cooking oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and beet stems and cook and stir until the beet stems soften a bit. Add the garlic, asparagus shavings and continue cooking for another 3 minutes or so.
Add the beet greens to the pan. Reduce the heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the greens wilt and shrink, about 5 minutes. Season with the red wine vinegar, chilli and salt.
Once cooked, drain pasta retaining a little bit of pasta water and return pasta to pot. Stir in pesto and mix well to coat each pasta string with the sauce. Gently toss in the pasta to the pan and mix well with vegetables.
Garnish with parsley and black pepper. Serve immediately.
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