Beets are in season from midsummer through early winter, and come in many sizes and colors. Red beets have one of the most beautiful pigments of any vegetable. The roots are a rich burgundy that does not fade, even after they are cooked, and the greens are vibrant with strikingly red veins. Other varieties range in color from white to yellow and orange. Be careful when you are working with them because their juice stains clothing.

Vegetables often tell us what they contain or how good for us they are with the colors. Beets do just that. Their vibrant maroon color just screams vitamin C, and their dense pigments show us that they are packed with phytonutrients. Their color might be also hint that they were known in Roman times as an aphrodisiac.

It is not just the beetroot itself that is healthy, but the leafy beet greens are also excellent ingredients in a healthy kitchen. A cup of boiled beet greens has double the amount of vitamin A that we need in a day, in addition to being a good soure of fiber.