Beets are a healthy vegetable that can be used to make many delicious dishes. Among its special advantages is its long shelf life, which allows it not to lose its valuable nutritional properties even in winter. Fresh, boiled, and baked beets are a great base for a variety of simple, healthy salads.
How to cook beets for salads
In some salads, beets can be added raw. So, for example, many people make herring under a fur coat with raw beets. But it should be remembered that fresh beets are contraindicated for people suffering from cholelithiasis and kidney stones; contraindications include other disorders of kidney function. Beet juice and raw beets should also not be eaten by those with high acidity, chronic stomach upset, hypotension, diabetes mellitus, gout and rheumatoid arthritis. Therefore, if you want beetroot dishes to be really healthy, it is still better to subject them to heat treatment.
When boiling, many of the nutrients contained in beets are transferred to the water, so that they are preserved to the maximum, it is recommended to bake the beets in the oven. To do this, you must first wash it by cutting off the tip and tail. Then pat the root vegetable dry with a paper kitchen towel, lightly brush it with olive oil, wrap it tightly with foil and use a toothpick to poke a few holes in it. Bake the beets in the oven at a temperature of 200-220 ° C for 1-1.5 hours, the cooking time depends on the type of beet and its size. Such a semi-finished product can be used as a basis for healthy and tasty salads.
If you are short on time, you can microwave the beets by placing them in a plastic bag and tying them tightly. The cooking time for such beets is 15-20 minutes.
Beetroot salad with prunes and nuts
The salad is one of the most popular vegetable dishes, but a simple and quick beetroot salad with prunes and nuts can be considered a real delicacy that will decorate any festive table. To prepare it, you will need:
- 1 large baked beetroot;
- ½ cup shelled walnuts;
- 4-5 prunes;
- ½ a clove of garlic;
- 3-4 tbsp. mayonnaise;
- ground black pepper;
- some chopped fresh herbs;
- salt to taste.
As with most vegetable salads, it is best to use olive oil for these beetroot salads and replace purchased mayonnaise with homemade mayonnaise.
Pre-soak the prunes by pouring boiling water over it. Chop the nuts with a knife, but not very finely. Grate the beets on a coarse grater. Pass the garlic through a press. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl, pepper a little, add mayonnaise, taste with salt and, if necessary, add salt. Place the salad in a salad bowl, garnish with fresh herbs on top.
Beetroot salad with orange and goat cheese
You will need:
- 100 g of hard goat cheese;
- 2 large boiled or baked beets;
- 2 sweet oranges;
- 200 g of white cabbage;
- 2 tbsp. olive oil;
- 1 tsp light liquid honey;
- juice of ¼ lemon;
- fresh chopped herbs;
- ground black pepper;
- salt to taste.
Grate beets and cheese on a coarse grater. Peel the orange, disassemble into slices, if possible, remove the skin from them. Slice the orange slices across, each into 5-6 slices. Chop the cabbage finely, sprinkle a little with salt and remember a little. Put everything in a bowl and stir. Make the dressing by mixing olive oil, lemon juice and honey in a separate bowl until smooth. Pour the dressing into a bowl, add the chopped greens, pepper a little salad, stir, and salt to taste.
