I have a pretty complicated relationship with beets.

Until about two years ago I couldn’t even go near a pot that was used to cook beets…

The smell of it post-cooking always made me a little nauseated and the sweet taste of cooked beets never spoke to me… I just couldn’t relate to it.

Come to think about it, chances are that my dislike of beets is due to an evil trick my older sister decided to try when we were little…

My father kept the pinkish water from cooking beets in a bottle in the refrigerator {G-d knows why} and my sister told me it was a really tasty raspberry flavored juice and that I had to drink it.

Bottom line – I couldn’t go near beets for around 15 years.

Thank you, Sharon.

Following my growing awareness of health issues and the important role food plays in the equation of healthy nutrition + sports = healthy body and soul, I read a lot of articles about detoxification, which means cleaning the body.

In almost every article I read, the main star was the vegetable I liked least – beets.

Not only is it considered to be very effective in cleaning the body because of its purple color, resulting from the existence of betacyanins, responsible for the health benefits of beets and can help as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and aid in detoxification; It’s also an excellent source of folic acid {amazing for pregnant women}, rich in potassium, magnesium, iron, fiber, vitamin B and vitamin C.

So I decided I have no choice but to let this root into my diet little by little…

After all, taste is acquired and I certainly want to enjoy all of the good things that beets offer.

I started off by using small amounts of beets in their natural raw state {without cooking it at all}in freshly squeezed juice {a combination of apples-carrots-beets is excellent for beginners. If you’re brave, try to add ginger }. Over time, the apple-beet ratio evened out and I even started eating salads that had raw beets in them…

What can I tell you – I started liking it.

The first time I ate cooked beets and actually enjoyed it was at the restaurant “Pastel” that served divine cold beet soup, and since then Daniel manages to surprise me every time with dishes based on beets that I really, really love.

One of them is this healthy and light beet salad, which is my favorite especially because of the combination of the dressing’s creamy sourness that balances the sweetness of the cooked beets.

◄◄ Healthy Beet Salad with a Green Dressing ►►

Preparation Time – 15 minutes.

Cooking Time – 15-20 minutes.

Quantity – 4 servings.

Ingredients –

For the salad:

• 4 medium-sized beets.
• Half a package of chopped coriander.
• 4-5 tablespoons of olive oil.
• Half a lemon.
• 1 teaspoon of vinegar.
• Salt and pepper.

For the dressing:

• 1 Bio-Yogurt with 1.5% fat.
• 3 heaping tablespoons of 5% fat white cheese.
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
• 1 package of mint.
• 1 bundle of basil.
• Salt and pepper.

Instructions –

1. Peel the beets and cut them into quarters {to shorten the cooking time you can cut them into smaller pieces}.
2. Cook for for 15-20 minutes. Check if the beets are soft with a fork and then drain the water.
3. Spread the pieces of beets on a cutting board until they cool down and cut them into small cubes.
4. Meanwhile, prepare the dressing – Mix all of the ingredients for the dressing in a blender, and pour it into individual glasses or on a large, flat dish.
5. Mix the cubed beets and the salad ingredients in a separate bowl, and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour {Note that tastes “relax” in the fridge, so if you have a feeling that the salad is too sour – it will balance out after cooling}.
6. Assembling and serving – pile the beet salad on top of the green dressing and serve.

You can save it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days {the salad and the dressing separately}.

Bon Appetit