Bountiful Beets

It's been a while since I have enjoyed a meal this simple and this delicious. All thanks to a beautiful bunch of beets from my trip to the farmer's market this past weekend! Beets are in season right now, and I hadn't used them in a while, so I decided to pick up a bunch yesterday. These beets were on the small size, all smaller than a baseball, and the greens on the bunch were plentiful and vibrant. You have to love a vegetable that gives you two totally different things to eat.

So after my initial beet excitement, I sort of got stuck on what to do with them. I really didn't want to heat up the whole house with the oven to roast them, and I didn't wait to boil them and watch all the color and vitamins (especially folate) leach out into the water. Luckily for me, the New York Times ran a section that was more than appropriate - Recipes for Health: Beets. Lo and behold, there I found a raw beet recipe. So tonight, I went ahead and tried out the Grated Raw Beet Salad. Let me just say this first. I had never eaten beets raw before, so I was a little nervous about how they would taste. I am nervous no more. After eating these beets, I'm not sure I ever want to cook them again. The one thing I changed in the recipe was the lettuce; instead, I put the beets over spinach. Other than that, this was beet perfection. The citrus complimented the fresh beet flavor without overpowering it. The fresh herbs (I used parsley) added more color and bite. So simple, but so perfect. Here's the bowl of beets and citrus juice (notice the stained cutting board; wear your apron!). I could have just eaten this for dinner, but I figured I ought to control myself and finish the recipe.

I couldn't let the beet greens go to waste, and I needed a little protein in this meal. To make that happen, I cooked up some quinoa. When it was about half done, I added the washed and chopped beet greens with some orange and lemon juice, and let the greens wilt. After finishing with some salt and pepper, I served this alongside the beet salad. What a plate! Cooked and raw, red and green. This was delicious and satisfying. I'm really looking forward to returning to the farmer's market this coming weekend to tell the farmer how great the beets were and to buy another bunch!

Stuff in the Mail and Quinoa

I don't know about everyone else, but I love getting stuff in the mail. A letter, a card, even something I ordered myself and I know is coming. Today, my new water bottle came! After my last round of half marathon training, I did a lot of reading and quickly realized that it is a really bad idea to run for 10 or 12 miles, in the summer, with no fluid intake. I'm obviously a moron for ever thinking that this was a wise idea. Anyway, I do not intend to make that mistake again. I was not psyched on the idea of water drops, since I would be paranoid of someone taking my water or messing with it, and the idea of wearing a fuel belt just did not seem appealing. So I went ahead and bought a handheld water bottle - the Nathan Quickdraw Plus. I had heard good things about Nathan products and the price was right, so I'm really hoping this works out. I'm sure it will take a bit of getting used to, but it will be invaluable on long runs, especially in the heat. The little zipper compartment will be great for a gel or Shot Bloks, too.
On a similar note, I got my first outdoor run in many weeks in today! The weather has been gorgeous these past few days, and I hadn't gotten outside too much. I knew I would be kicking myself if I didn't get out today, so I'm really glad I did. Come on springtime/daylight savings time!

In the interest of time tonight, I whipped up a quick salad. Quinoa is a superstar grain, packing loads of protein, folate, and important minerals like manganese and magnesium. I simply cooked the quinoa and tossed it with veggies that were languishing in my refrigerator and a homemade vinaigrette. This is another one of those salads where creativity is encouraged; almost any veggie will do!

Quick Quinoa Salad
-1 cup dry quinoa, cooked
-1 bell pepper, small diced
-1/4 onion, small diced
-half a cucumber, seeded and small diced
-1 large carrot, peeled and small diced
-3 tbsp parsley, chopped
-half a medium tomato, chopped
-1/2 tsp garlic powder
-1/2 tsp dried basil
-salt and pepper
-3 tbsp red wine vinegar
-4 tbsp olive oil

-Combine the veggies in a large bowl. Add the cooked quinoa, after it has cooled for 10 minutes or so.
-In a blender, combine the tomato, spices, vinegar, and oil. Blend until smooth.
-Add the vinaigrette to the quinoa and veggies, and toss to coat completely. Serve immediately, or store in the refrigerator for a few days.