Beets: Healthy, Natural, Delicious...yep they're tastey!

So, I realize that I have posted desserts...and not much in the way of healthy stuff. Well, summer is the season of fresh vegetables, of which I am almost as fond as desserts. So, the next few posts will both make up for my lack of posting recently, AND display some healthy and scrumptious recipe ideas for you!

First, BEETS!!! Now, before you skip to the next post, hear me out. A year ago, as far as I was concerned
Beets taste like dirt. End of story, or so I thought. Until last year I had never liked Beets because they tasted to me like the ground from whence they came. However, a good friend of the family introduced us to her 'summer sauteed beets'. We were skeptical to be sure, but upon tasting them we were shocked that they tasted...good! No dirt involved, they had a tangy bite to them with a zing from the hot red pepper and were flavored like a good summer veggie.

After breaking the beet barrier, I discovered that I actually do like beets ok, however they have to be good beets, getting canned or less than fresh, or over or underripe beets means they will taste like dirt, there is no way to avoid it. But get some GOOD beets and they are actually pretty good. 

So, here it is, the first (and for a while...only) way I like beets

Ingredients

4 fairly large fresh beets WITH greens
1-2 Tbsp butter
1 lime
1-2 tsp cayenne pepper, or powdered hot red pepper
salt and pepper to taste

Process

Cut the beets and their greens into small pieces, I do about Inch wedges for the beets and just small chunks for the greens

Heat butter in frying pan on medium heat until melted, it should at least cover the bottom of the pan, if it doesn't then add a bit more.

Put beet meat into pan and cook for a couple minutes

Add greens, (they will quickly wilt down) and sautee together until beets are desired level of softness (I usually like them a bit on the crunchy side) about 15 minutes, longer for softer beets, and if you really want them soft, turn down the heat and let them steam for a few minutes.

Turn off heat and remove from burner, add the juice from 1 lime and the cayenne pepper, stir well to spread that pepper all over the beets. Add salt and pepper

Serve and enjoy, really, no joke these beets are enjoyable!