Crop of the Week: Beet greens
March 04, 2012 8:35 PM
• When people say “beets” they are usually talking of the beet
roots. Buy beets with the “greens” or tops attached and you are actually
getting a two-for-one sale! You can eat the greens and the beet roots
separately or combine them in a meal.
• These tender greens are high in dietary fiber and antioxidants A, C and E. Beet greens provide a good source of protein and are cholesterol free.
• Beet greens are grown as part of Yuma County's baby leaf production for the bagged salad industry. Baby leaf salads are gaining in popularity over traditional whole head lettuce salads in response to consumer demand for greater variety and convenience in their diet. Baby lettuce leaves are mixed, washed and packaged as whole leaves, with a shelf-life of approximately 10 to 15 days.
• Beet greens pair nicely with feta cheese and nuts — especially walnuts or hazelnuts. Olive oil or walnut oil, vinegar (balsamic or red wine) and orange juice are always nice as a dressing.
• In the same family as chard, beet greens are delicious used as a cooking green when they are young and tender. Beet greens work great in any recipe calling for spinach, chard, sorrel or kale.
• Good-quality beet greens will have dark-green colored leaves with rich red veins and fairly long, upright stalks. Avoid beet greens with leaves that are wilted, yellowing or have dark green patches of slime on parts of the leaves. They are best used fresh as their integrity will diminish rapidly. To maintain firmness of beet roots, cut off leaves and stems 1½ inches about root crown. Wash well and spin dry. Store in a plastic bag and refrigerate in the hydrator drawer.
• Mechanical harvesters maximize capacity, time and efficiency of harvesting beet greens and other baby leaf varieties.
• A key focus of all fresh produce includes locking in nutrients, maximizing food and consumer safety, and delivering optimum freshness and taste. One of the major ways to achieve this is through the use of leading edge breathable packaging. The resulting film structure manipulates the amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide contained within the packaging, and thus enables the leafy greens to live longer by delaying the ripening process and reducing ethylene production.
Source: Kurt Nolte is an agriculture agent and Yuma County Cooperative Extension director. He can be reached at knolte@cals.arizona.edu or 726-3904.
• These tender greens are high in dietary fiber and antioxidants A, C and E. Beet greens provide a good source of protein and are cholesterol free.
• Beet greens are grown as part of Yuma County's baby leaf production for the bagged salad industry. Baby leaf salads are gaining in popularity over traditional whole head lettuce salads in response to consumer demand for greater variety and convenience in their diet. Baby lettuce leaves are mixed, washed and packaged as whole leaves, with a shelf-life of approximately 10 to 15 days.
• Beet greens pair nicely with feta cheese and nuts — especially walnuts or hazelnuts. Olive oil or walnut oil, vinegar (balsamic or red wine) and orange juice are always nice as a dressing.
• In the same family as chard, beet greens are delicious used as a cooking green when they are young and tender. Beet greens work great in any recipe calling for spinach, chard, sorrel or kale.
• Good-quality beet greens will have dark-green colored leaves with rich red veins and fairly long, upright stalks. Avoid beet greens with leaves that are wilted, yellowing or have dark green patches of slime on parts of the leaves. They are best used fresh as their integrity will diminish rapidly. To maintain firmness of beet roots, cut off leaves and stems 1½ inches about root crown. Wash well and spin dry. Store in a plastic bag and refrigerate in the hydrator drawer.
• Mechanical harvesters maximize capacity, time and efficiency of harvesting beet greens and other baby leaf varieties.
• A key focus of all fresh produce includes locking in nutrients, maximizing food and consumer safety, and delivering optimum freshness and taste. One of the major ways to achieve this is through the use of leading edge breathable packaging. The resulting film structure manipulates the amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide contained within the packaging, and thus enables the leafy greens to live longer by delaying the ripening process and reducing ethylene production.
Source: Kurt Nolte is an agriculture agent and Yuma County Cooperative Extension director. He can be reached at knolte@cals.arizona.edu or 726-3904.
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