Beet superfood: Easy homemade salads to boost your health

Beets are a popular vegetable that we still don't fully appreciate. They can be eaten in many ways. They are often served as a side dish for dinner but are also a good ingredient for salads, spreads, or desserts. When you have more time, prepare a delicious winter salad from them. My aunt shared this recipe with me. What do I like most about it? The beets don't require pasteurization!

Although ready-made beet salads are available in every store, homemade ones are incomparable. It's worth making at least a few jars for special occasions.

Beets require some "processing" because you must cook them and grate them. However, they repay you with wonderful taste and nutritional value. They contain vitamins C and B vitamins. They are also rich in iron, magnesium, potassium, and manganese. Beets provide fiber that supports the digestive system. They also contain nitrates converted into nitric oxide, which can lower blood pressure, and betaine, which supports the liver. The flavonoids in beets also support heart health. That's why nutritionists recommend that these vegetables be part of our diet year-round. They are considered some of the healthiest in the world. In winter, we can also reach for pickled beets in jars.

My aunt has been making beet salads with peppers and onions for years. Beets are a great addition to meat dishes, especially stews. They can also be a sandwich topping, and they taste perfect with hummus or cheese.

Ingredients:

• 6.6 lbs of beets,
• 2.2 lbs of red peppers,
• 2.2 lbs of onions,
• allspice and bay leaves to taste.

Marinade:

• 1 cup of sugar,
• 1 cup of 10% vinegar,
• 1 cup of oil,
• 2 tablespoons of salt.

Preparation method:

1. Wash the beets and cook them with the skin on. This will ensure that they retain the most nutrients.
2. Peel the onions and peppers, remove the seeds from the peppers, chop the vegetables fairly finely, salt them, and set them aside for 2 hours.
3. Peel the cooled beets and grate them on a coarse grater.
4. Prepare the marinade from the given ingredients. Please bring it to a boil and add the bay leaves and allspice to taste.
5. Add the onions and peppers, and cook for about 5 minutes.
6. Then, add the grated beets. Cook for another 5 minutes.
7. Put the hot salad into jars (previously washed and sterilized). Turn them upside down and leave them to cool. Store the salad in a dark and cool place.