Versatile Beets

Here's more fun with beets:

It's that time of year when beets are in season. Beets contain a natural sweetness that lends well to a variety of tasty, budget-conscious foods. While using up a batch of recently-purchased beets (fresh from the farmer's market), I came up with this recipe that doubles as a soup or main dish.

Beet Rice Soup (serves 4)

6 cups water

1 medium beet, peeled and diced

1 large carrot, peeled and sliced

5 slices leek (or ¼ cup cut onion)

½ cup uncooked rice (your choice of type)

¼ t thyme

salt and pepper, to taste

Fill large dutch oven with water. Place in remaining ingredients. Cook over medium heat, partially covered, for about 20 minutes. Test rice and veggies for doneness.

For soup, ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese or a dollop of plain yogurt, if desired. Store unused portion in airtight container in fridge. Or, freeze for future use.

For a main dish, steam up some skinless chicken. Dice up chicken and place onto serving dish. Remove solid food from the soup mixture with a sieve. Place mixture over the chicken. If desired, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese prior to serving. Store unused portion in airtight container in fridge. Or, freeze for future use.

There you have it. A cost-effective, nutritious and versatile way to use beets. Share with your friends so they get an idea about how tasty beets are.

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