Beet It

Chilled Golden Beet Soup

Stewed golden beets with garlic, onion, hot curry and vegetable stock. Pureed and finished with fat free plain yogurt and scallions.

Farro salad with organic garlic and herb goat cheese, rainbow chard, zucchini and mustard vinaigrette.

Farro is a nutty, slightly chewy grain that originates from Italy. It is a whole grain, meaning that it retains the complete properties of the wheat including protein, fiber and iron. When cooked, farro becomes slightly creamy and its versatility ranges from salads, soups and risotto-like dishes. To add an even more creamy consistency to the farro, I mixed in a little goat cheese, while the grain was hot so it melted and encased the grain with flavor. For a contrast in color and increased nutrient content, I added steamed rainbow chard, sautéed zucchini and finished the dish with homemade mustard vinaigrette.

Rainbow chard is the colorful version of swiss chard. It has slightly more nutrients since it possess more carotenoids, which are the colorful pigments found in plants and animals. Carotenoids act as antioxidants and may reduce the risk of certain cancers and heart disease. Rainbow chard is also a high oxalate green, meaning it contains calcium in an unabsorbable form and has binders that prevent calcium absorption. Boiling the chard can help reduce the levels of oxalate. Rainbow chard also contains high levels of vitamins A, K and C and can act as a lovely addition to a main dish or stand alone as a substantial side.