By Brandon McDearis
Eating a variety of clean, fresh foods while preparing for endurance events such as triathlons can often be as crucial for a successful outcome as actually training for the event itself. I have a great recipe this month that is perfect for the ladies as they prepare for Endurance Magazine’s Ramblin’ Rose Women Only Triathlon Series. Eating a plate of “superfoods” like this should be a daily requirement for everyone, but it is specifically recommended for females since these foods are excellent sources of vitamins such as C and A and minerals like Iron and Calcium. I always try to buy these vegetables locally and even organic if possible. If you are not familiar with beets, then don’t let them scare you. These aren’t your grandmother’s canned or pickled beets, and don’t be afraid of the leaves either. They are very similar to the chard, kale or any other green that you might find in the produce isle. These vegetables go great over pasta or rice and they are a wonderful edition to a protein like roasted herb chicken. I’m personally a big fan of them as a side to a light, fluffy fish such as Grouper. Good luck with training and eating well in 2010!
Ingredients
1 bunch of fresh red beets (Usually about 4-6 each. They will vary in size).
1 bunch of Swiss chard, roughly chopped with the stems removed
2 medium sized carrots peeled and diced small
1 large onion diced small
3 cloves garlic minced
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp salt
salt and pepper to taste
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup of white wine (optional)
Preparation
Thoroughly wash the beets and then separate them from their leaves. Discard the stems between that hold them together and put the leaves aside to be cooked shortly. Sprinkle the beets liberally with the 3 tbsp of salt and then put them into a 375 degree oven. Check them after 30 minutes by piercing one with a pairing knife. If they do not feel soft enough for the knife to easily penetrate to the middle of the beet, then put them back into the oven for another 15 minutes. Note: A very large beet can take over an hour to cook while a small one can be done in 20-30 minutes. The size of your beets will determine your cook time.
Remove the beets from the oven and let them cool for 15 minutes. Once they are cool enough to handle, then peel the skin off with a knife and slice them into 4-6 pieces (again, depending on the size of the beet).
Meanwhile, saute the onion and carrots in a large skillet for 5 minutes at medium to high heat. Add the minced garlic and saute for another minute before adding the Swiss chard and the beet leaves. Keep tossing in the pan for about 2 minutes before adding the white wine and the apple cider vinegar.
Continue to stir the vegetables in the pan and add the sliced beets, while lowering the heat to medium-low. Toss the vegetable mixture until the beets are just reheated (about 1 minute). Season with salt and pepper and the red pepper flakes if you enjoy a little bit of heat. This serves 4.
Nutrition Facts
180 calories / 3.5 g fat / 0.5g saturated fat / 36 carbohydrates / 15 g fiber / 5 g protein
Vitamin A 512% – Vitamin C 117% – Calcium 28% – Iron 38%
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Brandon McDearis is a personal chef working in the Charlotte area. He currently owns and operates Your Way Cuisine, www.yourwaycuisine.com. In addition to his culinary training, Brandon also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in foods and nutrition, with a concentration in dietetics. He primarily focuses on healthy cooking and addressing specific dietary needs of everyone from professional and amateur athletes, to busy families and elderly people.
