Packet-Grilled Beets

I surprised myself and could not resist a gorgeous bunch of beets at the Farmers Market yesterday. I ran into my mom at the market, and she reminded me that I had such disdain for beets as a baby that I would start crying as soon as she or my dad took a jar of them out of the cupboard (and yes, that revelation does make me wonder why they insisted on torturing me so). Beets are a very good source of folate and manganese with a little Vitamin C and dietary fiber thrown in there, so I have given them another chance. They are definitely very........"Earthy" tasting, but they have a natural sweetness mixed in there too.

A few months ago, my husband and I went out with the intentions of purchasing a fancy new gas grill. After reminiscing about the taste of food grilled over charcoal/wood chips, we left with a giant "old-fashioned" Weber grill. We absolutely love it, and my only complaint is that I feel wasteful when I take something off the grill, and there are still perfectly hot coals just sitting there. There are many vegetables and even fruits that I grill along with the usual meats, but I am expanding my horizons in that respect to get the most out of the charcoal (and bonus, no heating up the house for any part of the meal!). There are many vegetables I cook right on the grill grate, but beets really need to tenderize and don't taste quite right to me when partially cooked, so I use the foil packet method.

These were served with grilled salmon topped with Cucumber Salsa and fresh pineapple. The cucumber salsa cost me a total of $.35, the wild-caught Pacific salmon was on sale for $6.29/lb and the pineapple was on sale for $2. So for only $10.64, we had a gorgeous, healthful dinner that took minimal time and effort!

Packet-Grilled Beets

1 lb beets (about 4-6, depending on size)
1 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Aluminum foil/premade foil grill packets

Wash beets and peel if desired, or scrub well if leaving peel on (they get very tender and unnoticeable when cooked). Slice into 1/4" thick rounds. Place in a large mixing bowl or zip-top bag, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat evenly. Place in foil packet and grill for about 30 minutes, turning halfway.

Admittedly not the supermodel of root vegetables, but there is a definite Earthy sort of beauty there!

Cost:

Beets (farmers market): $2/1 lb bunch = $2.00

Total Cost: $2.00
Four Servings: $.50 per serving

Six Servings: $.33 per serving