Photos courtesy of Courtney Apple Photography. Featured photo of Mount Airy’s Food for All Market.

Ambler’s popular Deterra Restaurant offers a ‘A Tasting of Beets’ with goat cheese spuma and toasted walnuts.

We recently celebrated National ‘Eat Your Veggies Day’ across America—a fun excuse to load up on vegetables and acknowledge a healthier diet. One of our favorite veggies is the beet, which is commonly featured in a variety of local restaurants and markets across the Main Line. And, of course, a staple at the dozens of Farmer’s Markets our region has to offer.

Beets have been around for quite some time—dating back to the second millenium B.C. Raw beets are absolutely loaded with folate, a B vitamin that is essential for cell growth and reproduction, as well as potassium. And, they are exceptionally low in calories and fat! Beets are super rich in dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals. They also contain a significant amount of Vitamin C, one of nature’s most powerful antioxidants and cancer fighters.

For moms looking to encourage their kids to incorporate more veggies in their diet they should know kids are more likely to eat vegetables that they have grown themselves as opposed to those that are store bought!

Some of our favorite suburban chefs have delicious beet salads as part of their seasonal repertoire, including Wayne’s Chef Zach Grainda of White Dog and Chef Jeffrey Power of Ambler’s Dettera Restaurant and Wine Bar.

‘Eat Your Veggies Day’ is a great reminder to load up on beets and all veggies for a healthier approach to our diets now and moving forward. In addition, if you are dining out around the Main Line, look for healthy choices from local chefs using beets!

Have a favorite way to prepare or serve beets—or a beet recipe that cannot be beat, LOL? We would love to hear from you on our comment form below.

Thanks to our awesome friends at Wegmans for sharing two great beet recipes below! They both sound delicious and nutritious!

Wegmans Glazed Beet and Orange Salad

3 pkgs (8 oz each) Melissa’s Baby Red Beets
1 cup Wegmans Organic Orange Juice
1 Tbsp Italian Classics Chianti Red Wine Vinegar
3 Tbsp light brown sugar
1 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp cornstarch
3 large navel oranges, peeled, separated into segments
2 Tbsp + 1 tsp finely chopped mint, divided

Wegmans Red Flannel Hash

3 cloves Food You Feel Good About Peeled Garlic, minced
1 sweet onion, peeled, 1/4-inch dice (1 1/2 cups)
1/2 lb parsnips, trimmed, peeled,1/4-inch dice (1 1/2 cups)
1 pkg (8 oz) Melissa’s Baby Red Beets, 1/4-inch dice
1 pkg (8 oz) Food You Feel Good About Cleaned & Cut Brussels Sprouts, sliced thinly into rounds
2 Food You Feel Good About Organic Carrots, trimmed, peeled, 1/4-inch dice (1 cup)
12 oz Wegmans Fingerling Potatoes, 1/4-inch dice
1 pkg (0.25 oz) Food You Feel Good About Italian Flat Leaf Parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste