Safe from 6 months. Beets are rich in folate, manganese, potassium, iron, and vitamin C. Their deep purple color comes from betalains, antioxidants that support detoxification.
Raw beets are dense, crunchy, and intensely earthy with a faintly sweet minerality. Roasting concentrates their natural sugars and dramatically reduces the earthiness, leaving a sweeter, more rounded flavor with a tender, jammy texture. They pair well with apple, orange, yogurt, goat cheese, lemon, and warm spices like cumin.
Roast whole until fork-tender, then peel and cut into thick spears. Naturally sweet. Warning: will stain everything - bib recommended.
Dice into small cubes, roasted or steamed. Mix into grains or serve as finger food.
Roasted, grated raw in salads, pickled (low sodium), in hummus. Very versatile.
Ingredients
Steps
Freeze in ice cube portions for up to 3 months. The apple balances the earthy flavor and is a great intro for beet-hesitant babies.
Garden notes
Red urine after eating beets is normal (beeturia) and not harmful. Greens are also edible.
Direct sow 4-6 weeks before last frost or 8 weeks before first fall frost.
Harvest for baby
Harvest at golf-ball size for BLW - easier to roast tender all the way through.
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