Roasted Beets and Orange Salad + Savory Beet greens Cheese Patties

When you see at the store a bunch of beets with the greens still attached to them, you know they are as fresh as it gets. Nevertheless, the fresh greens are not just an indication for the beets’ freshness; they are also edible and tasty on their own right, so it makes even more sense to buy the bunch.
Here, I have used the bunch to create two dishes: a colorful roasted beets salad and savory beet greens cheese patties.
Both dishes go great together, but you can, of course, serve each on its’ own.

Roasted Beets and Orange Salad
This colorful salad is best served immediately after preparing it, as the beets will slowly change the color of the other ingredients. If you want to make it ahead of time, keep the ingredients and dressing separately and assemble the salad before serving.

Makes: 4-6
Prep time: 20 minutes
Roasting time: about 50 minutes
Ingredients:
3 medium size beets
Salt
1 medium size orange
½ medium size avocado
2 hearts of palm, drained
4-5 salt cured black olives
For the dressing:
Juice of 1 medium lemon
1 Tbs honey
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground red pepper
1 Tbs olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 400F (205C). Wash the beets and pat dry. Place each on a piece of foil and sprinkle with salt. Wrap tightly and place in a baking pan. Roast for about 50 minutes, until the beets are soft, but still firm. Let cool to room temperature and peel. Slice into about ¼” (1/2 cm) thick rounds. Arrange in a serving plate.


2. With a sharp knife, remove the peel of the orange and slice into 5-6 slices. Cut the avocado and hearts of palm. Mix the dressing in a small bowl.

3. Arrange the orange slices on top the beets, add the avocado, hearts of palm and olives. Drizzle the dressing on and serve.

Savory Beet Greens Cheese Patties

These tasty cheese patties are quick and easy to make. I like serving them with maple syrup, as wired as it sound. The saltiness of the patties and the delicate sweetness of the maple are, in my opinion, just perfect together.

* If you cannot find beet greens, use Swiss Chard instead.

Makes: 10 patties
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
about 3 cups roughly cut beet greens
1 package (7.5 oz, 215 grams) Farmer cheese, unsalted
½ tsp salt
1/3 cup crumbled Feta cheese
1/3 cup crumbled fresh goat cheese
2 large eggs
¼ cup whole wheat flour
¼ cup oatmeal
¼ tsp freshly grated black pepper
Oil for frying

1. Wash the beet greens thoroughly and drain. Place them, still wet, in a pan and sprinkle the salt on. Cover the pan and steam on medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes, until the greens wilt and soften a bit. Cool to room temperature. You should end up with about 1 cup of packed steamed greens.

2. In a large bowl, mix the cheeses with the eggs. Add the flour, oatmeal, steamed beet greens, black pepper and salt to taste, and mix well.

3. In a large shallow pan, heat the oil on medium heat. Create 10 round and flat patties from the cheese mixture and fry them for about 2 minutes on each side, or until the patties are golden brown.

Serve at room temperature, with maple syrup.