When I was a baby, the only way my mother could get me to eat my other vegetables was to mix them with beets. What I didn’t realize was how good they were for me!
I still remember those mornings as a child waking up to the smell of cooked beets. My mother used to pick them straight from my grandfather’s garden. She would pickle them so that our family would have jars on hand for weeks and the longer they were kept in the cellar, the tastier they were.
To this day, the humble beet is one of my favorite foods! There are so many different ways to cook them. I love to steam my beets or add them to some of my go-to dishes, garnishing them with sea salt and apple cider vinegar. Sometimes I’ll throw in a dash of coconut nectar to bring out the natural sweetness.
What I love most about this recipe is that it doesn’t include any canola oil or packaged seasonings. The sauce is made from whole organic foods and fresh vegetables. Try to use the coconut sap instead of soy sauce for a much healthier alternative.
Beets have a photo-nutrient known as betalains, which have more antioxidants, anti-inflammatory and detoxifying agents than any other plant food. These also are known to suppress the growth of cancer cells, help prevent chronic diseases and promote cardiovascular health. Research has also shown that betalains found in beets support nerve and eye tissue better than other antioxidants.
Another bonus, the fiber in beets will help support your gastrointestinal or digestive health, and provide you will a rich nutritional balance of many vitamins and minerals such as potassium, magnesium and iron.
Favorite Beet Stir-Fry
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Ingredients
- 1 cup of brown long grain rice
- 2 ½ cups vegetable broth (low sodium)
- 2 Medium beets, peeled and chopped into quarters
- 2 Medium carrots, sliced
- 1 Small broccoli florets, chopped
- 1 Small green pepper, chopped into quarters
- 1 Small white onion, chopped in quarters
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 3 tbsp soy sauce or coconut sap (preferred)
- 1 tbsp coconut nectar
- Dash of cayenne pepper (optional)
- Handful of chopped cilantro
- Black and tan sesame seeds
Directions
| Melt 1 tbsp of coconut oil and sea salt in medium-sized pot. Add rice and bathe in the melted oil and salt. Add vegetable broth, cover pot and bring to a boil on medium to high heat. Cook for about 2 minutes. Turn temperature down to medium to low heat. Cook for another 10 minutes. In the last 8 minutes turn temperature down to low heat or cook rice until tender. Fluff with fork. | |
| Peel and cut beets into 1/4 inch size quarters, slice washed carrots, green pepper and cut broccoli into small florets. Using a steamer, place beets in tray and steam for 35 minutes. For the remaining 15 minutes of steaming your beets, add carrots, pepper and broccoli. Steam to al dente. | |
| Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add 1 tbsp of coconut oil, ginger and garlic. Cook for about 3 minutes. Add onion and stir-fry for 5 minutes. Add coconut sap, coconut nectar and cayenne pepper. Stirring the sauce until ingredients are well mixed. Once the vegetables are steamed add to the other vegetables. | |
| Serve immediately over rice or add rice to vegetables and toss together. Garnish with the cilantro and sesame seeds | |
Serves 2 to 4.
Sandra MacDonald is a Toronto-area sales expert who is passionate about clean eating and experimenting with quality, natural ingredients. Her blog, Pure Food Creations, talks about her food inspirations and the amazing recipes she’s created.
