Have you ever bought beets with their beautiful greens still intact? And then thought…great, that’s a lot of waste. Ahhhh ha! They are not a waste! First, they keep your beets tasting fresher and keep in some nutrients by stopping oxidation. Second, they are really tasty in their own right! Don’t toss out the greens!
I have a bunch right now, because my beets are just coming into season. Here’s the thing–they cook just as quick as spinach! What do you like to do with spinach leaves? Think about beet greens as though they were just any other green, but with more nutrition!
Beet greens are loaded with Vitamin K & Vitamin A and only have 8 Calories in 1 cup!
Tonight I decided to keep things very simple. I’m on my own for dinner tonight and I am craving something really good for me. <Pause> Good for you is not synonymous with no taste! So, cast that thought away! (ahhh, thanks!)
My dinner tonight also includes a shocking ingredient…rendered bacon fat. Yes, I know—say it with me–bacon fat! It’s that good. Yes, it’s not great for you. 1tsp of bacon grease has 38 Calories (all of which is FAT). Yep, not great for you; however, bacon fat has loads of flavor so a simple teaspoon goes a long way!
Sautéed Beet Greens with Marinara & Quinoa
Ingredients:
2 cups beet greens
1 tsp bacon grease or olive oil
lemon zest and lemon juice (just a touch to add flavor and balance the fat)
Saute for 1 minute, cover with a lid add in the zest + lemon juice and let it sit until cooked down.
Quinoa
2 tbsp red wine (this is simply because I am enjoying a glass with dinner so I tossed in some for a bit of flavor)
Pulling it all together:
Serve marinara over the quinoa and the beet greens along side. Enjoy! Yes, I realize some of you may feel the need to eat meat with this, but I did not. I have to admit that I was curious as to how this would all pull together. I am happy to say–I loved it! I hope you try it next time you have some beet greens you are about to toss out.
I want to say your blog is very good, gracias, Gulaschkanone