Skip to content

Make Warm Beet Salad with the Fourth Episode of Biblio Bistro

August 31, 2020 | By Michael H. Babcock

The fourth episode of Biblio Bistro highlights warm beet salad, which is a quick, warm and fresh recipe using ingredients mostly available at the Copper Country’s amazing farmers markets. The beets and several other items were purchased from North Harvest CSA Farm at the Downtown Houghton Farmers Market

About Warm Beet Salad

This recipe allows the natural sweetness of beets to shine. By using the beet greens, which are edible (and delicious), this recipe also reduces typical food waste and encourages use of the whole plant. For those adding goat cheese or feta, there is a tangy and sweet combination that is simply divine! The slivered almonds are the icing on the cake, providing extra texture to this dish. This dish can also be served hot or cold and is equally delicious. Bonus!

In total this recipe was only $11.30 to prepare. That adds up to $2.83 per serving. If you don't want to include goat cheese, the price drops to $6.31 or $1.57 per serving. 

Healthy Eating Tips from Dietitian Meghan

  • Beets – Good source of potassium, magnesium and folate. Plant-based nitrates, which are found in beets, have been linked to support heart health. The nitrates found in beets may also help with athletic performance. Current research found that consuming beet juice before an athletic event improved oxygen use by up to 20 percent (according to this research, it is best to consume 2-3 hours prior to exercise for the best effect).
  • Almonds - High in vitamin E, which is good for skin, hair and nail health. Almonds are also a source of heart-healthy fats.
  • Feta - A good source of probiotics. 

Cooking Tips from Chef Michael

  • Early on in the video Chef Michael showcases a great way to cut greens that will save you time!
  • It’s important to thoroughly clean your beets and beet greens to make sure you can enjoy them as much as possible.
  • Cooking the garlic first helps with the flavor. You want to cook it until it gets a little bit of a golden color.

Farmers Markets in Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula

Screen Shot 2020-08-31 at 6.45.24 PMFrom Calumet to L’Anse to Bruce Crossing there are great farmers markets all over Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula. Our friends at the Western U.P. Food Systems Collaborative have put together a great resource on this that gets updated regularly. Check out a full list of farmers markets here, wupfoodsystems.com/farmers-markets.

About Biblio Bistro

Biblio Bistory at Portage Lake District LibraryThe Biblio Bistro series strives to show that healthy cooking doesn’t have to be boring or laborious. Our goal is that by watching this series, participants can feel more confident and curious in the kitchen, all the while increasing fruit and veggie intake and supporting the local food system! Learn more about Biblio Bistro at pldl.org/biblio-bistro.

About Portage Health Foundation’s Food Initiative

PHF Food Initiative Logo Vert CMYKPortage Health Foundation is passionate about making a difference when it comes to food in Baraga, Houghton, Keweenaw and Ontonagon counties. PHF’s Food Initiative is two-fold. First, the food initiative aims to improve access to locally grown and healthful foods within our community. Second, it provides educational resources and tools to promote sustainable changes to eating and lifestyle habits for all. Learn more about this initiative at phfgive.org/food.

 

Michael H. Babcock

Michael H. Babcock