#10 Balsamic-Glazed Beets, with Toasted Walnuts

A bunch of "candy cane" beets, a bunch of regular purple beets, and a head of cabbage, purchased from tiny local shop that sells food from local producers.  Altogether, $11.50.

I'm attempting to convert my family to an appreciation of one of the finer things in life: mmmmm....beets. 

I find that people fall into one of two categories when it comes to beets: love 'em, or hate 'em.  I don't know what it is about them that is so divisive, but I am decidedly pro-beets.  The texture, the fragrance, the vivid colors, and most of all, the sublime flavor of beets is just a treat in my opinion. 

My family however, claims that they taste "like dirt".  Not to be discouraged, I'm going to woo them sweetly with this recipe.  

"Balsamic-Glazed Beets, with Toasted Walnuts", from Healthy Slow  Cooker Cookbook, by American Heart Association.

 

 Here's what the beets looked like going into the pot...

 

Aren't those "candy cane" ones just the cutest little things you ever saw?

 

1/4 cup of water and the beets, on low, took about 4 1/2 hours to cook to fork-tender.  As they were cooking, a family member came into the kitchen and said..."Whoa!  What smells like dirt in here??"

 

The topping was simply balsamic vinegar, with a tiny bit of sugar, reduced by boiling on the stovetop.  (When the recipes says this smells "pungent" they aren't joking!  I had to stand back and turn the vent fan on...)  I used chopped pecans rather than walnuts.

 

So the verdict:  they were not what I had hoped.  I really disliked how the slow cooker turned the candy cane ones a really ugly black/gray color.  I will not slow cook beets again.  Nothing compares to roasting them in the oven.  Peeling/chopping, tossing in oil, and roasting at about 400 in the oven is simple, and it turns beets into jewel-toned candy from the soil.  I gain nothing in terms of convenience using the slow cooker, and the quality difference is VAST. 

 

When asked for comments on these slow-cooked beets my family said, you guessed it..."tastes like dirt".

 

Oh well, can't say I didn't try! 

 

Now, switching gears real quick, I just gotta share something fantastic with you about nuts.  I won't be accused of holding back such a gem of information, so here it is:  If you have a dehydrator (or an oven that goes down to a very low temp. you MUST try soaking and dehydrating raw nuts. (Editorial note:  Sally Fallon's book says no higher temp than 150 degrees...personally I like to do them lower, since my dehydrator is adjustable, and can go lower, so I usually go in the 125 degree range).  Some people prefer to go even lower temp to preserve more of the raw enzymes. 

 

I do this all the time in large quantities, and then I store the nuts in small containers in the freezer for topping fruit, yogurt, salads, or for use in any recipe, or trail mix.  In her book Nourishing Traditions (p. 512) Sally Fallon explains the importance of soaking and dehydrating nuts of all kinds. 

 

See, the soaking part gets rid of the enzyme inhibitors, making the nuts more digestible, and it also makes their nutrients more readily available for your body to use. 

 

And the best part is, they taste SO crispy, and absolutely delicious prepared this way.  It really, really brings out the flavor of the nuts, unlike anything else.  I would do it strictly for that reason, even if it didn't improve the nutritional value!  The best part is, they are totally ready for any use...no need to "toast" nuts on the stovetop for recipes that call for toasted nuts.  They are nutritious, crispy and flavorful, and ready to go, right from the freezer when you prepare them like this.  There are many websites and books that detail how to do this; a quick internet search for "Crispy Nuts Nourishing Traditions" will yield lots of results.  It's super simple:  you just soak the nuts in a solution of salt water overnight, then you rinse, and dehydrate.  Couldn't be easier.  Seriously, it takes like 5 minutes.  They mind themselves all day in the dehydrator as you go about your business.  



Yesterday's Farmers Market peaches, topped with full-fat, plain unsweetened, organic yogurt and chopped "crispy" pecans for breakfast, snack or dessert.

*Update:  My good friend, "Glazed Donut" :)  tells me that the candy cane striped beets never do stay very purple and white when cooked, especially when you cook them with purple beets as I did...so that may help explain the gray/black color.  But I also noticed a darkening of even the purple ones where they touched the side of the crock pot, so...eh.  I'll stick with roasting 'em.