Beets for people who do not like beets and want to.

I took the plunge. I signed up for the CSA at Coonamessett Farm for the summer. While the thought of meat from the Vineyard, delicious fresh cheese and crisp lettuce is really exciting, I am a little skittish. With all of that comes turnips, rutabagas and beets. I will be giving up a little of the control in my weekly grocery shopping and that is a little terrifying. A beet is a beautiful thing, look at that bright red color. I love veggies, I should really embrace the beet. I think my visions of a beet are the ones you get in a can, not very appetizing. So I confronted my beet phobia in hopes that the beets from the CSA do not end up in the compost pile.
I saw a recipe in Martha Stewarts' Everyday Food that was shredded carrots and beets and I also saw a similar recipe in the Moosewood Restaurant New Classics Cookbook called beautiful beet salad. These recipes both used raw beets. I combined these recipes and came up with my own. I liked the orange juice in Martha's recipe and the ginger in the Moosewood recipe. I added some agave nectar for sweetness. I like agave because it is not too sweet and it is light. If you cannot find it or if it is too expensive you can us a little honey. I would put the honey in the microwave for about 20 seconds to make it a little thinner. A good place to get agave is my favorite spot Trader Joe's, it is a lot less than at the grocery store. It is great on oatmeal and supposedly it doesn't mess with you blood sugar.
Since making this salad I eat it about once a week, I am the only one in my house eating it so it is usually for lunch with some left over chicken on the side. My husband or daughter are still a little weary, but at least the beets will be getting eaten. I can now say that I like beets, next onto the turnips....

Shredded Beet and Carrot Salad with Ginger-Citrus Dressing
Printable Recipe
3 beets

3 small or 2 medium carrots
1 tbs. orange juice
1 tbs. cider vinegar
2 tbs.olive oil
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp. agave nectar (or honey)
salt and pepper to taste

Serves 3-4
1. Wash beets, cut off and trim bulb. Save greens and slice off tough stem. Take your knife and separate central red vain going up greens from the greens. Set aside.
2. Take beet bulbs and shred them though the food processor or grater. Once grated set in a colander and rinse until water runs mostly clear. Let them drain in the sink while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. Occasionally run water through beets.
3. Peel carrots and shred them though the food processor or grater. Place in a bowl and set aside.
4. Take the greens and place one on top of the other. Roll them up and slice into ribbons and add to carrots.
5. To make dressing whisk together orange juice, cider vinegar, olive oil, ginger, agave nectar (if using honey microwave for 20 seconds to make thinner) salt and pepper to taste.
6. Add shredded beets to carrot mixture and toss with dressing. Eat immediately.

*To increase servings easily add a bag of spring mix and double the dressing.