“The beet is the most intense of vegetables. The radish, admittedly, is more feverish, but the fire of the radish is a cold fire, the fire of discontent not of passion. Tomatoes are lusty enough, yet there runs through tomatoes an undercurrent of frivolity. Beets are deadly serious.” Tom Rob¬bins, Jitterbug Perfume

Acclaimed author Tom Rob¬bins reveres beets in his characteristically wild and en¬tertaining novel Jitterbug Per¬fume, a book that incidentally addresses longevity, fasting, alternating hot and cold wa¬ter immersion, eating frequent small meals, the importance of practicing breathing exer¬cises... and sex. His insight into the confound¬ing topic of nutrition is also spot on: “...‘tis better to swap bubble gum with a rabid bulldog than challenge a single one o’ the varyin’ beliefs your average human holds about nutrition...” Jitter¬bug Perfume is a thrill, a must read for the fic¬tion lover. Enough said. Let’s eat some beets!

First, it must be said that we are talking about fresh beets, not the canned variety. Canned beets frequently contain added sugar, and the processing and breakdown of cellulose that oc¬curs during the canning process increases the beets’ glycemic index.

The Zone places beets in the “unfavorable carbohy¬drate” category. We disagree. Fresh beets fall between leafy greens and fruit in carb density and are rich in antioxidants.

‘Tis currently beet season, which means you’ll find loads of them at your farmer’s market. There are many varieties (try to find some heirlooms) and a vast array of colors. All are delicious.


Grated Beet Salad

Time 10 minutes

Ingredients
. 1 medium sized beet, grated
. 1 medium sized chicken breast, grilled
and sliced
. Olive oil
. Lemon juice

Ah, how we love simplicity! Grate the beet, add sliced chicken breast and drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Toss and enjoy! The acid in the lemon juice will tend to hy¬drolyze the sucrose in the beet, making it a bit sweeter.


Chard & Cashew Sauté

Time 10 minutes

Ingredients
. 6 cups of chard (beet tops)
. ½ cup chopped cashews
. 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
Finely chop the chard and set aside. Lightly cook chopped cashews in ½ Tbsp of toasted sesame oil on medium heat for about five minutes. Add chard, another ½ Tbsp of toasted sesame oil, and sauté for 3-5 min¬utes until done.


Coconut Beet Borscht

This is a hearty and flavorful dish. The fat content of the coconut milk makes it perfect for those following the athlete’s zone.

Time 30 minutes

Ingredients
. 5-6 medium beets (a variety of colors
makes for a radiant dish!)
. 1 yellow onion
. 1 can coconut milk
. ½ cup minced ginger

Mince ginger and chop the onion. Infuse both in a small amount of olive oil for 3-5 minutes on medium heat. Chop the beets into bite-sized pieces and add to the pot. Add about ½ cup of water, cover and let steam for another 5 minutes. Add coconut milk and stir. Cook covered for 10-15 min¬utes on low heat, stirring periodically. When the beets are tender enough to stick a knife into them, you are ready to eat!


Frittata Fun

For a breakfast that can also serve as lunch, dinner and snacks, a frittata is the way to go. Depending on how you scale it, you can get 4-5 meals from one of these relatively sim¬ple beauties.

There is no end to the creativity that can be applied here. Frittatas can be comprised of virtually anything, so long as the wild com¬binations you come up with actually appeal to you. Onions, garlic, any type of meat, a variety of veggies and spices, all can be thrown in to create a tasty frittata. The one we are featuring is a simple but delicious combination of lean beef, garlic, and green onion. And of course, eggs!

When creating varia¬tions of the frittata, be sure to add slower cooking ingredients first, followed by those that cook more quick¬ly.

Note: For this recipe you will need a non-stick skillet with a well-fitting lid.

Time 30 minutes

Ingredients
. 8 oz lean beef
. 8 eggs
. 2 cups chopped green onion
. 8 cloves of garlic, chopped
. Dash of olive oil

Cut beef into small pieces and place in skil¬let with a dash of olive oil. Cook on me dium heat. Peel and chop garlic and add to the beef. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add green onion and cook an additional 2 min¬utes. Mix the eggs in a bowl and add to the skillet. Cover and im¬mediately reduce heat to low. Cook covered until done (approxi¬mately 10-15 minutes) keeping an eye on the center, as it will be the slowest to cook.


Not So Corny “Corned Beef”

I’m Irish. Well, I’m mainly Swedish and Scottish, but I know there is some Irish lurk¬ing in here somewhere. This may account for my calm demeanor while driving and my penchant for odd foods, for example corned beef and cabbage. Perhaps not as bad as liver and onions (don’t worry, we are not planning an issue devoted to organ meats... well, hmmm...) Corned beef and cabbage brings me back to my childhood. Especially since St. Patty’s is arriving in just a few days. So to help you experience the joy of being Irish, here is a Paleo-friendly gem from the Emerald Isle.

Time: 10 minutes prep.

Ingredients:
. 1-4 lbs of London Broil (Brisket is traditionally used but is quite marbled. For a leaner cut choose the London Broil)
. 1 head green cabbage chopped in long thin strands
. • cup peppercorns
. 5-10 bay leaves

Pour pep¬percorns into the bottom of a slow cook¬er. Brown meat for 1 minute on each side in a skillet with a small amount of olive oil. Place meat atop pep¬percorns. Cover meat with bay leaves then cover with cabbage. Set slow cooker on low for 4-5 hrs or high for 2 hrs. The meat should be very tender, but one may slice it thin and serve with some of the cabbage. Don’t eat the bay leaves!


Kumquats

A tasty citrus option that many have never tried! They require no peeling, just pop the whole thing in your mouth and chew. Tangy on the inside with a much sweeter peel, they are a refreshing treat. As an added bonus, the d-limonine in the peel is a potent anti-tu¬mor agent. D-limonine is found in most cit¬rus peels, but since eating orange and lemon peels is something that most of us avoid, kumquats provide the perfect op¬portunity to get some of this good stuff.

Most fruit being 2 blocks, it can some¬times be challeng¬ing when needing a 3 block meal... what to do with the remaining half piece of fruit? Kumquats are a good solution. Four of these little guys make a block.


GARLIC PEELING 101

Many of you may know this little trick, but for those who don’t it can save mountains of time when trying to peel the skin from a clove of garlic. Here’s the easy way:

. Separate cloves from the head of garlic
. Cut the tips off the end of the cloves
. Use the flat side of the knife to forcefully press down on the clove (try to almost flatten it). This breaks the skin so that it virtually falls off in your hand!
. Now you’re ready to chop or mince!