Chioggia Heirlooms

Please don't write me off as a raving lunatic. Not just yet, anyway.

I know... I know... the only time you've ever eaten beets was when Granny forced them down you. And, the only good thing to come of that experience was how they turned your taters pink.

4 fantastic facts about the lowly beet:
1) Fresh, whole, heirloom beets ~ lovingly roasted in the oven ~ are surprisingly tasty.
2) They're a snap to grow in a mountain garden, provided you amend that challenging clay soil. Ready for harvest in about 60-70 days.
3) Who cares about those dull details??

Beets come in designer colors! 

That's gonna make you look like a rock star at the next Master Gardener's picnic!

Heirloom Chioggia Beets: If you boil 'em, they'll lose their pretty stripes.

Who knew?
Beets are simply suffering from a bad rap because salad bars display their canned counterparts just to make us queasy. 

4) Fresh beets are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and a gazillion other things that improve our health, though we're not sure why. Fresh beets are so healthy they even slow cancerous tumors. But, why wait until you have one foot in the grave to give them a try? Roasted beets are dee-lish.

Roasted Beets
Prep time: 1 fun minute!

• Snip tops and tails
• Rub, tub and scrub
• Drizzle with olive oil
• Sprinkle with Kosher salt
• Roast whole beets @ 375 (F) until slightly tender. (About 45 minutes. Treat them as you would potatoes; stick a fork in 'em to determine if they're done.)

And, now for the fine print... This little beauty keeps her pretty stripes when roasting, but she loses those stripes when boiled. Yet another reason to refrain from canning beets!

How To:
Give them plenty of wiggle room: Loose soil/No weeds/Full sun/Consistent moisture. Cool temps produce the best flavor. Like most veggies, they're only fabulous when they're fresh.