North Dakota Farm to SchoolHarvest of the Month

Beets

North Dakota Harvest of the Month

History of Beets (beetroot)Beetroot, botanically-known as Beta vulgaris, evolved from wild seabeet, which is a native of coastlines from India to Britain and is the ances-tor of all cultivated forms of beet. Beetroot was offered to Apollo in his temple at Delphi, where it was reckoned to be worth its own weight in silver! Sea beet was first domesticated in the eastern Mediterranean and Middle East – although it was only the leaves that were eaten at that time.

Beetroot was offered to Apollo in his temple at Delphi, where it was reckoned to be worth its own weight in silver! The Romans began to cultivate it in earnest, and early recipes included cooking it with honey and wine. Apicius, the renowned Roman gourmet, included beetroot in recipes for broths and even recommended making it into a salad with a dressing of mustard, oil and vinegar in his book ‘The Art of Cooking’.

In early times, the medicinal properties of the root were more important than its eating qualities and it was used to treat a range of ailments including fevers, constipation, wounds and various skin problems. At that time, the roots were long and thin like a carrot. The rounded root shape that we

are familiar with today was not devel-oped until the sixteenth century and became widely popular in Central and Eastern Europe 200 years later.

Many classic beetroot dishes origi-nated in this region including the fa-

mous beetroot soup, known as borscht.

Beetroot continued to grow in popularity in Victori-

an times, when its dramatic colour brightened up salads and soups. It was also used as a sweet ingredient in cakes and puddings. A wide range of varieties was available, including “Rouge Cra-paudine” and “Mr Crosby’s Egyptian”. The plants were even used as decorative bedding because of their attractive green leaves. At this time, beetroot was still mainly grown as a winter root vegetable. More recently smaller, more tender, ‘baby’ sum-mer-grown beetroots have been developed.

After World War II, pickled beetroot in jars was the most widely available form of the vegetable but the vinegars could be strong and harsh - enough to put many people off beetroot for life!

Beetroots come in all shapes and sizes but the most common is round and deep red in colour. Other varieties are yellow, white, and even can-dy-striped (with red and white concentric circles). The humble beetroot is sweet, earthy and tender to eat and related to the turnip, swede and sugar beet.

How to SelectChoose beets with firm, smooth skins and non-wilted leaves if still attached. Smaller ones are more tender.

How to StoreRemove leaves, leaving about an inch of the stems. Use leaves as greens- raw or cooked. Store roots in a plastic bag in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. Wash before cooking.

SOURCE: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=49

North Dakota Farm to SchoolHarvest of the Month

Beets

North Dakota Harvest of the Month

Nutrition BenefitsFat free, saturated fat free, cholesterol free, low sodium, excellent source of folate.

Beet Fun Facts1. Getting in the mood - Beetroot contains be-

taine, a substance that relaxes the mind and is used in other forms to treat depression. It also contains trytophan which is also found in chocolate and contributes to a sense of well being.

2. Getting in a jam - The red pigment in beetroot is used to colour strawberry jam as well as to improve the colour of tomato paste, sauces and strawberry ice cream.

3. Food of love - The Lupanare, the official broth-el of Pompeii, which still stands despite the best efforts of Vesuvius in 79AD, has its walls adorned with pictures of beetroots.

4. Healing power - Hippocrates advocated the use of beet leaves as binding for wounds.

5. Beware garlic - Platina recommended taking beetroot with garlic to nullify the effects of ‘garlic-breath’.

6. The commander’s code - Field Marshal Mont-gomery, an army commander in WWII, is

reputed to have exhorted his troops to ‘take favours in the beetroot fields’, a euphemism for visiting prostitutes7. Rags to riches - Sir Alan

Sugar of Apprentice fame demon-strated early entrepreneurial flair

when, while at school, he got a job boiling beetroots for the local green-

grocer.8. Litmus test - You can use beetroot juice

to measure acidity. When added to an acidic solution it turns pink, but when it is added to an alkali it turns yellow.

9. Potent like horseradish - The Oracle at Delphi claimed that beetroot was second only in mys-tical potency to horseradish, and that it was worth its weight in silver.

10. Everlasting love - In many cultures the belief persists that if a man and a woman eat from the same beetroot then they will fall in love.

11. Head and shoulders - If you boil beetroots in water and then massage the water into your scalp each night, it works as an effective cure for dandruff.

12. Out of this world - In 1975, during the Apol-lo-Soyuz Test Project, cosmonauts from the USSR’s Soyuz 19 welcomed the Apollo 18 astronauts by preparing a banquet of borscht (beetroot soup) in zero gravity.

13. Wonders of the world - Around 800 BC, an Assyrian text describes beets growing in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the won-ders of the ancient world.

14. Turning heads - Since the 16th century, beet juice has been used as a natural red dye. The Victorians used beetroot to dye their hair.

15. Vanish - Beetroot is a water-soluble dye, and hot water seems to ‘fix’ the colour stain more, so use lukewarm or cold water to avoid stain-ing. To cure the inevitable ‘pink fingers’, rub with lemon juice and salt before washing with soap and water. On fabrics, try rubbing a slice of raw pear on the stain before washing, or rinse in cold water before washing in a biologi-cal powder.

16. Beetroot burgers – In Australia, a true Oz-style burger must have a slice or two of beetroot. Even McDonalds and Burger King have had to toe the line and include it in their menus.

North Dakota Farm to SchoolHarvest of the Month

Beets

North Dakota Harvest of the Month

17. A diet for cricketers – The Beetroot Diet involves followers eating beetroot three times a day, alongside other vegetables and whole foods. The Warwickshire County Cricket Club adopted the Beetroot Diet in 2004 and won the county championship that season!

18. Record breakers - The world’s heaviest beetroot weighed 23.4kg (51.48lb) and was grown by Ian Neale from Somerset in 2001.

19. Sugar rush - Beetroot has one of the highest sugar contents of any vegetable. Up to 10 per cent of beetroot is sugar, but it is released slow-ly into the body rather than the sudden rush that results from eating chocolate.

20. Messy business - The Elizabethans prepared beetroot by wiping it with fresh dung before cooking it.

21. Darling buds of May - Catherine Zeta Jones is reported to have become addicted to beet-root after eating it while pregnant with her two children.

FREE RESOURCES FOR CLASSROOMSND In Season Harvest Calendarhttp://www.healthynd.org/publications/InSeason-HarvestCalendar.pdf

Starting a Farm to School Program in NDStep-by-Step guideline to starting

farm to school in your community with resource listings

http://issuu.com/farrms/docs/web_com-plete_farm_to_school_handbook

Together at the Table: a resource for producers

and food service when purchasing and selling local produce.http://www.farrms.org/images/Documents/togeth-er%20at%20the%20table%20-%20f2s%20checklist.pdf

Food Labels Learning Sheets and Worksheetshttp://www.nourishinteractive.com/nutrition-ed-ucation-printables/category/6-food-labels-work-sheets-printables-teaching-kids-reading-food-la-beling-nutrition-facts-free-learning-printouts-ac-tivity

Mad

e po

ssib

le b

y fu

ndin

g fr

om th

e D

epar

tmen

t of H

ealt

h an

d H

uman

Ser

vice

s an

d Pu

blic

Hea

lth –

Seat

tle

& K

ing

Coun

ty.

Bee

ts &

Sw

eets

– W

ayza

ta P

ublic

Scho

ols,

MN

Ingr

edien

ts 50

Serv

ings

10

0 Ser

vings

25

Serv

ings

Di

rect

ions

Bee

ts, f

resh

§ (AP

), di

ced

8 lb.

6 oz.

16 lb

. 11 o

z. 4 l

b. 3 o

z. 1.

Preh

eat o

ven a

t 400

degr

ee.

2. Tr

im of

f the

beet

crow

n and

tail t

o ½ in

ch an

d dice

into

bite

-siz

e. Cu

t swe

et po

tato

es in

to bi

te-si

ze ch

unks

and c

hop u

p on

ion.

3. In

a lar

ge bo

wl, c

ombi

ne al

l ingr

edien

ts to

geth

er. M

ix we

ll. 4.

Plac

e pan

liner

s on s

heet

pans

. Div

ide a

nd sp

read

out m

ixtur

e ev

enly

in ea

ch pa

n. 5.

Bake

in a

conv

ectio

n ove

n for

20 m

inut

es. R

emov

e and

gent

ly m

ix. B

ake f

or ad

ditio

nal 2

0 min

utes

or un

til fo

rk te

nder

. 6.

Hold

food

for s

ervi

ng at

an in

tern

al te

mpe

ratu

re ab

ove 1

40 F.

Ser

vin

g Si

ze: ½

cu

p

� No

te: t

empe

ratu

re an

d bak

ing t

ime v

ary b

y ove

ns.

Swee

t p

otat

o, fr

esh

§ , chu

nks

8 lb.

6 oz.

16 lb

. 11 o

z. 4 l

b. 3 o

z.

On

ion

, yel

low

, fre

sh§ , c

hopp

ed

4 lb.

3 oz.

8 lb.

6 oz.

2 lb.

2 oz.

Oliv

e oil

1 cup

2 c

up

½ cu

p

Gar

lic,

fres

h§ , f

inely

chop

ped

2 ½ T

b 5 T

b 1 ¼

Tb

Salt

1 Tb +

⅓ ts

p 2 T

b + 2/

3 tsp

1 2

/3 ts

p

Blac

k pep

per,

grou

nd

2 ½ T

b 5 T

b 1 ¼

Tb

Suga

r, gr

anul

ated

2 ½

Tb

5 Tb

1 ¼ T

b

§WA

pro

du

ct a

vail

able

wh

en in

sea

son

Appr

oxim

ate p

repa

ratio

n tim

e: 30

min

. + 40

min

. in th

e ove

n

Tip

s &

Var

iati

ons:

B

eets

com

e in v

ario

us co

lors

: Red

, Gol

d, an

d Chi

oggia

(red

& w

hite

ring

s whe

n cut

ho

rizon

tally

). W

hen r

oaste

d, Ch

iogg

ia’s d

istin

ct ri

ngs d

isapp

ear a

nd fl

esh b

ecom

es

beau

tiful

pink

that

is lig

hter

than

Red

beet

s. Tr

y mixi

ng m

ultip

le va

rietie

s of b

eets.

Bee

ts an

d Sw

eet

pot

atoe

s ar

e bes

t whe

n ten

der b

ut no

t mus

hy!

Yo

u can

subs

titut

e bee

ts an

d/or

swee

t pot

ato w

ith ca

rrot

s, p

arsn

ips,

ruta

bag

a, an

d p

urp

le p

otat

oes –

you n

ame i

t! – T

hey a

ll are

grow

n in W

ashi

ngto

n Sta

te.

Mad

e po

ssib

le b

y fu

ndin

g fr

om th

e D

epar

tmen

t of H

ealt

h an

d H

uman

Ser

vice

s an

d Pu

blic

Hea

lth –

Seat

tle

& K

ing

Coun

ty.

Beet

s & Sw

eets

Chil

d N

utr

itio

n P

rogr

am F

ood

Com

pon

ents

:

½

cup v

eget

able

Nu

trie

nts

Per

Ser

vin

g:

Calo

ries

170 k

cal

% C

alorie

s fro

m Fa

t 27

%

Tota

l Fat

5 g

Sa

tura

ted F

at

< 1

g

Tran

s fat

0 g

Chol

este

rol

0 m

g So

dium

42

0 mg

Tota

l Car

bohy

drat

es

30 g

Di

etar

y Fib

er

4 g

Pr

otein

3 g

Vi

tam

in A

(15,8

06 IU

) > 1

00 %

Vi

tam

in C

(13 m

g)

50 %

Ca

lcium

2 %

Iro

n

12

%

B

eets

are

ava

ilabl

e thr

ough

out t

he y

ear i

n W

ashi

ngto

n S

tate

, but

the

peak

har

vest

sea

son

is u

sual

ly M

ay th

roug

h S

epte

mbe

r whe

n yo

u ca

n fi

nd fr

esh

beet

s wi

th g

reen

s. B

eets

gre

ens

are r

ich

in v

itam

in A

and

ea

sily

use

d in

stir

-fry

or s

auté

ed. C

heck

out t

he W

ashi

ngto

n G

rown

Ve

geta

ble S

easo

nalit

y Ch

art!

S

tora

ge T

ip: T

o m

aint

ain

firm

ness

of b

eet r

oots

, cut

off g

reen

s/le

aves

an

d st

ems

1-2

inch

es a

bove

the r

oot c

rown

. Sto

re in

a p

last

ic b

ag a

nd

refr

iger

ate i

n th

e hyd

rato

r dra

wer.

They

will

last

long

er if

sto

red

prop

erly

. Sto

re g

reen

s wr

appe

d in

a d

amp

clot

h or

in a

pla

stic

bag

in a

dr

awer

of t

he re

frig

erat

or. G

reen

s di

min

ish

thei

r int

egri

ty ra

pidl

y, s

o us

e whi

le fr

esh

and

cris

p. [r

ef: “

From

Asp

arag

us to

Zuc

chin

i – A

Gui

de to

Coo

king

Far

m-F

resh

Sea

sona

l

Prod

uce (

3rd E

diti

on)”

]

note

s

Mad

e po

ssib

le b

y fu

ndin

g fr

om th

e D

epar

tmen

t of H

ealt

h an

d H

uman

Ser

vice

s an

d Pu

blic

Hea

lth –

Seat

tle

& K

ing

Coun

ty.

Cold

Bee

t Sa

lad

wit

h R

asp

ber

ries

– W

inon

a Pub

lic Sc

hool

s, M

N

Ingr

edien

ts 50

Serv

ings

10

0 Ser

vings

25

Serv

ings

Di

rect

ions

Bee

ts, f

resh

§ , top

-off

(AP)

4 l

b. 5 o

z. 8 l

b. 10

oz.

2 lb.

3 oz.

1. Pr

ehea

t ove

n at 3

75 de

gree

. 2.

Wra

p bee

ts tig

htly

in al

umin

um fo

il and

bake

for o

ne ho

ur or

un

til te

nder

. (If

com

e with

tops

, cut

off a

ll but

1” of

beet

tops

.) 3.

Rem

ove b

eets

from

oven

and c

ool. S

lip of

f the

skin

s, tri

m of

f th

e top

and t

ail to

½ in

ch, a

nd sl

ice in

to th

in ro

unds

. 4.

Whi

sk to

geth

er th

e vin

egar

, oil,

salt

and p

eppe

r. Dr

izzle

over

be

ets.

Let m

arin

ate i

n ref

riger

ator

for a

t lea

st on

e hou

r. 5.

Befo

re se

rvin

g, ge

ntly

fold

in th

e ras

pber

ries.

Garn

ish w

ith

min

t.

Ser

vin

g Si

ze: ¼

cu

p

Note

: Tem

pera

ture

and b

akin

g tim

e may

vary

by ov

en.

Rasp

berr

y vin

egar

5 T

b 10

Tb

2 ½ T

b

Oliv

e oil

5/6 c

up

1 2/3

cup

2/5 c

up

Salt

5/6 t

sp

1 2/3

tsp

2/5 t

sp

Blac

k pep

per,

grou

nd

1/5 t

sp

2/5 t

sp

dash

Min

t, fr

esh

, lea

ves§

, cho

pped

5/

6 Tb

1 2/3

Tb

2/5 T

b

Ras

pb

erri

es, f

resh

§ 1 5

/8 cu

p 3 ¼

cup

4/5 c

up

§WA

pro

du

ct a

vail

able

wh

en in

sea

son

Appr

oxim

ate p

repa

ratio

n tim

e: 90

min

. inclu

ding

tim

e in t

he ov

en (a

dditi

onal

1 hou

r or

mor

e in r

efrig

erat

or fo

r mar

inat

ing)

Tip

s &

Var

iati

ons:

B

eets

com

e in v

ario

us co

lors

: Red

, Gol

d, an

d Chi

oggia

(red

& w

hite

ring

s whe

n cut

ho

rizon

tally

). W

hen r

oaste

d, Ch

iogg

ia’s d

istin

ct ri

ngs d

isapp

ear a

nd fl

esh b

ecom

es

beau

tiful

pink

that

is lig

hter

than

Red

beet

s. Tr

y mixi

ng m

ultip

le va

rietie

s of b

eets.

Bee

ts ar

e bes

t whe

n ten

der b

ut no

t mus

hy!

W

hen u

sing f

roze

n r

asp

berr

ies§ , t

haw

first

and t

ry m

ixing

in th

e dre

ssin

g.

Inte

reste

d in

addi

ng ch

eese

? – T

ry to

ppin

g with

relat

ively

mild

and

crum

bly c

hees

e.

Mad

e po

ssib

le b

y fu

ndin

g fr

om th

e D

epar

tmen

t of H

ealt

h an

d H

uman

Ser

vice

s an

d Pu

blic

Hea

lth –

Seat

tle

& K

ing

Coun

ty.

Cold

Bee

t Sala

d with

Ras

pber

ries

Chil

d N

utr

itio

n P

rogr

am F

ood

Com

pon

ents

:

1

/8 cu

p veg

etab

le N

utr

ien

ts P

er S

ervi

ng:

Calo

ries

50 kc

al %

Calo

ries f

rom

Fat

66 %

To

tal F

at

4 g

Satu

rate

d Fat

< 1 g

Tr

ans f

at

0 g

Ch

oles

tero

l

0 mg

Sodi

um

67 m

g To

tal C

arbo

hydr

ates

4 g

Diet

ary F

iber

1 g

Prot

ein

< 1 g

Vita

min

A (1

5 IU)

< 1

%

Vita

min

C (3

mg)

12

%

Calci

um

< 1 %

Iro

n

3 %

Bee

ts ar

e ava

ilabl

e thr

ough

out t

he ye

ar in

Was

hing

ton S

tate

, but

the

peak

harv

est s

easo

n is u

suall

y May

thro

ugh S

epte

mbe

r whe

n you

can

find f

resh

beet

s with

gree

ns. B

eets

gree

ns ar

e rich

in vi

tam

in A

and

easil

y use

d in s

tir-fr

y or s

auté

ed. C

heck

out t

he W

ashi

ngto

n Gro

wn

Vege

tabl

e Sea

sona

lity C

hart!

Stor

age T

ip: T

o main

tain

firm

ness

of be

et ro

ots,

cut o

ff gr

eens

/leav

es

and s

tem

s 1-2

inch

es ab

ove t

he ro

ot cr

own.

Stor

e in a

plas

tic ba

g and

re

frige

rate

in th

e hyd

rato

r dra

wer.

They

will

last

long

er if

stor

ed

prop

erly.

Stor

e gre

ens w

rapp

ed in

a da

mp c

loth

or in

a pl

astic

bag i

n a

draw

er of

the r

efrig

erat

or. G

reen

s dim

inish

their

inte

grity

rapi

dly,

so

use w

hile

fresh

and c

risp.

[ref

: “Fr

om A

spar

agus

to Z

ucch

ini –

A G

uide

to C

ooki

ng F

arm

-Fre

sh S

easo

nal

Prod

uce

(3rd

Edi

tion)

”]

note

s