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FOOD OF THE WEEK
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The Bashful Bulb
 
This vegetable has gained popularity in our household and neighborhood as much more than just a great food. More on the reason later.
 
Beets or beetroot! So bashful they keep their heads in the ground.
 
I don't know how true it is but it is said that Beets reminded early cooks of a bleeding animal when they cut them open, so they started calling them "beets." This was derived from the French word b?e, meaning "beast."
 
Some refer to this purplish wonder as beets others as beetroot. Either way is correct. Some people only eat the root bulb but the greens are very nutritional and tasty and one of my favorites.
 
Once you've tasted fresh beets in the peak of their season from June through October, you'll delight in their sweetness and versatility. I should mention that they have the highest sugar content of all the vegetable kingdom. There are factories that process the sugar from the beets, called Sugar Beet Factories!
 
Beets and beet greens contain the health building minerals calcium, Iron, magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sodium, Zinc, Copper, Manganese, Selenium along with the vitamins  C, B-6, B-12, A, E, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Pantothenic acid, Folate, and Retinol. It would appear that this combination of nutrients dissolve kidney stones and gallstones. I?ve seen that happen in every single person I recommended it to!
 
Amazing natural stone dissolver!
 
You need;
8 medium sized Organic Beets (must be organic)
2 medium size Organic Apples (any type will work and must be organic)
Ionic Balanced Minerals  NOT COLLOIDAL minerals!
Juice together beets and apples then add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon ionic balanced minerals in first 3 glasses, before 4pm as the energy produced by the balanced minerals could keep you awake.  Drink 6 to 8 ounce glass every one to two hours until gone.
This concoction relieves pain and dissolves stones or makes it pain free to pass them.
 
Experts believe that the red pigmentation of beetroot contains certain anti-cancer agents. Beetroot has for many years been used as a treatment for cancer in Europe. Specific anti-carcinogens are bound to the reddish/purple coloring, which is said to fight against cancer and said that beetroot also increases the uptake of oxygen by as much as 400 percent. Additional studies have added support to these claims.
 
The green leafy part of the beetroot contains beta-carotene and other carotenoids, (Carotenoid refers to plant pigments - of which there is a family of about 600 different types. These all function as antioxidants. The yellow, orange, and many of the red pigments in fruits, vegetables, and plant materials are usually carotenoids.) The roots and greens are especially good for women during their menstrual period and those planning pregnancy.
 
Preparing raw beets requires a mindset; put on an apron, to catch the splatter and roll up your sleeves. Next, tell yourself that for that entire day you will be the proud owner of a pair of red hands ? unless your wear gloves - that look like you just killed someone. Then, get to work on the beets.
 
For salads, cut off the root and stem ends, peel and coarsely grate the beets. Place them on the top of an individual salad as a garnish or serve them in a separate bowl tossed with seasoned rice vinegar to be passed at the table. If you toss the beets into the salad, the entire salad will blush. Sometimes this may be a desired effect when you want to give your veggies a rosy glow.
 
Beets are famous for blushing or, more commonly called bleeding. To reduce bleeding and preserve more of the flavor as well as the nutrients, cut beet tops off, leaving at least 1" of stems intact. Usually when you buy fresh beetroot it will still have the leaves and stalks attached. To cook the beetroot simply cut off the stalks making sure to leave some of the stalk in tact as it helps to hold in the nutrients.
 
Cooked:
Do not peel. Beetroot can be steamed or cooked in boiling water. Cooking time can be from 20 to 50 minutes depending on the size of the beetroot and your desire for soft or crunchy. Test the beetroot with a skewer: when it's soft to your desire, remove it from the heat and cool it under running water - this will make the skin easier to remove for serving.
 
Try raw:
Grated finely can add to other vegetables.
Mix grated beetroot with raspberry vinegar or seasoned rice vinegar.
Mix grated beetroot, grated orange rind and orange juice for a tasty salad.
Plain grated beetroot is great on hamburgers or veggie burgers.
 
Varied serving tips:
You can serve cooked beetroot as a hot vegetable accompaniment to a meal; or allow it to cool and slice it to put on a homemade burger. Cut into cubes and stir-fry it with some steamed cubed potatoes and pumpkin. Add a little garlic and some diced onions ? this makes a delicious vegetable dish to serve with the rest of your meal.
Roasted: To roast the beets, its best to peel them and cut off the root and the stem ends. Slice them, toss or spray with a tablespoon or two of Virgin Olive oil, and spread them out on a roasting pan. Roast at 400 for about 25 - 30 minutes or to your taste, turning mid way through. To add a little pizzazz, when tossing them in the oil prior to roasting, sprinkle with salt and some dried thyme, dill, marjoram, or oregano add onion chunks for more flavor.
 
Prepare the greens as close to the purchase time as possible to retain all those health benefits. Wash them thoroughly, and coarsely chop. Add enough water to cover the bottom of the saucepan by 1/2". Squeeze in the juice of one half lemon and add a little salt, onion powder, lemon pepper and a hint of cayenne. PACK greens into a smaller saucepan than you might think you need--one bunch of beet greens cooks down to practically nothing!  Cook uncovered over high heat, which allows some of the oxalic acid in the greens to escape, a desirable process, since oxalic acid inhibits the absorption of calcium contained in the greens.
 
Today's recipe is from a former patient whose mother won a Betty Crocker baking contest with it years ago and $10,000 but she gave the recipe to me and didn?t say not to pass it on, so don't worry about it being a copywrite problem? This is oh so good and even my kids and grandkids eat it and love it? Of course they have no idea what is in it? Color is nice as well as delightful flavor?
 
Beet Cake
By Louise Stewart
 
Oil and flour 2 round cake pans or tube pan
Heat oven to 350?
 
Ingredients:
1 ? cups olive oil
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon sea salt or 1 teaspoon table salt
1 cup crushed pineapple (drained)
1 cup Flaked coconut
1 cup chopped nuts (pecan or walnuts)
1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup shoestring beats with juice
 
Begin by;
Beating with mixer olive oil, sugar, eggs until thick and lemon yellow;
 
Add to it flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, salt mix for 2 to 3 minutes.
 
Add and Mix by hand the following
Crushed pineapple (drained), coconut, chopped nuts, cottage cheese
 
Mix well then add beats with juice and stir until mixed thoroughly and evenly colored.
 
Pour even amounts into 2 cake pans.
Put into oven and 350?, bake 1 hour or until cake springs back when touched lightly. Tube pan will require about 75 minutes baking time.
 
This is best frosted with the old fashioned Philadelphia Frosting below;
 
Cream together the following ingredients for philly frosting'
1- box powdered sugar
1- stick (4 oz.) butter
1- tsp pure vanilla flavor
 
When creamed put one-fourth of the icing on the first cake layer and spread. Top that with second cake layer and frost whole cake or just the top, either way works well? refrigerate until ready to eat.
 
Enjoy this delightfully healthy dessert!
Lena
PS: Even though the beet/apple/minerals juice works well in dissolving stones it's a lot smarter to simply prevent them! Preventing stones in your body requires balancing minerals on a consistent daily basis!

NOTE: Sadly food alone cannot yield all the necessary healthy nutrients - especially balance of minerals - as they did in centuries past, so we can't rely totally on our food intake! Because of the lack of nutrients in our soils and the pollutants added in the form of air pollution, pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers important nutrients are almost nonexistent and we know the body is not capable of producing minerals with even the healthiest of diets, as it can vitamins, and must be obtained from our foods or daily supplemented...  Click Here to understand why minerals are so important to your body's health!

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 HEALTH TODAY
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