Morocco Round One

Here are recipes from the first round of food that was put out:

• Fresh Tomato and Caper Salad
• Orange and Olive Salad
• Grilled Red Pepper Salad
• Eggplant Zaalouk

The beauty of Moroccan feasts is that because there are many dishes served, there are certain things that are meant to be made and/or prepped a day ahead of time. All of this was made the day before, with the exception of the tomato salad. These are MY adaptations of Paula Wolferts recipes from her book "Food of Morocco". I've put my spin on them, so enjoy...

Fresh Tomato and Caper Salad

6 medium sized tomatoes (peeled, seeded and diced)

*the way that you peel a tomato...bring water to a boil, place the tomato in the boiling water. Remove in about a minute, once you notice that the skin has a crack in it. voila.

1 small red onion, finely diced

1 small green bell pepper, diced

1 large handful of medium to large capers (rinsed and drained)

sea salt

ground white pepper

3 tablespoons EVOO

Juice of 1 lemon and zest of one lemon

This was probably my most favorite thing of the whole evening -- and it was the EASIEST thing to make. This will definitely be a regular on our dinner table.

Orange and Olive Salad

6 navel oranges

24 oil cured black olives

dressing:

4 tablespoons EVOO

4 tablespoons orange juice (from the oranges youre peeling)

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika

pinch of cayenne

drizzle of honey

1/2 teaspoon salt

handful of chopped flat leaf parsley

Section the oranges but slicing the top and bottom off the orange. Then cut the peel off. Then slice the sections out. Easy. I made this the night before by sectioning the oranges and then making the dressing separate -- tossing it all together and throwing some parsley on just before serving.

Next up were the peppers. Again, I did things my way more so than Wolferts', but it tasted good and thats all that matters.....

Grilled Red Pepper Salad

3 large red bell peppers (peeled, seeded and quartered)

*an easy way to peel peppers....put them under the broiler and once the skin starts to bubble and char just peel them off.

sea salt

EVOO

1 medium sized tomato peeled, seeded, and diced

2 garlic cloves crushed ( i just use a zester and zest the garlic, creating a paste)

generous sprinkle of cumin

chopped flat leaf parsley

First I sprinkle the quartered and seeded peppers with salt. I rolled them in paper towels and pressed them, letting them sit for an hour. Once removing the excess moisture I put them under the broiler so that I could remove the skin. Wrapped em up and went to bed. The morning I sauteed them in a skillet with the tomato, olive oil and seasonings for several minutes. Refrigerate. Sprinkle with fresh cut parsley just before serving.

Mindy was in charge of the eggplant zaalouk...and it was delicious! She said that it sucked the day she made it, but luckily for her she followed the recipes instructions that you make this dish atleast 24 hours before consumption....

Eggplant Zaalouk

2 medium eggplants

1/3 cup EVOO

1 pound ripe tomatoes (peeled, seeded, and chopped - or 2 cups drained chopped canned tomatoes)

pinch of sugar

1 tablespoon crushed garlic

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

salt

2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro

fresh lemon juice

Halve the eggplant lengthwise, place cut side down on a foil-lined baking sheet, and broil until blackened and tender (20minutes approximately). Dump into a colander set in the sink. Peel while still hot and allow to drain until cool. Squeeze gently to remove any bitter juices. In a skillet pour 3 tablespoons EVOO, add in tomatoes, sugar, garlic, cumin, paprika, cayenne and salt. Cook, stirring, for about 20minutes. Crush the eggplant with a fork and add to the skillet. Stir in the chopped cilantro and continue cooking for another 10minutes. Add lemon juice and salt to taste. LET COOL AND THEN COVER AND REFRIGERATE OVERNIGHT. Toss with a bit more olive oil before serving.

Mooch's Mummas Hot Artichoke Dip

Mel, Mooch and Amber.

I met Monica, also know as "Mooch" to her friends, during my first week in Cambodia. We met at a cooking class in Siem Reap, and she invited me along to tour the temples (Angkor Wat) with her and her girlfriends. Monica is from Australia and despite the distance we keep in touch and she regularly reads my blog. In response to my healthy artichoke dip, she sent along her mothers (not so healthy) artichoke dip recipe!! Though I do try to eat healthy, it's fun to splurge now and again. This dip is DEFINITELY worth the splurge!! Thanks for sharing it Mooch!

Mooch's Mumma's Hot Artichoke Dip - low cholesterol & low-cal... NOT!!

Ingredients:

2 cans artichoke hearts

1 ½ cups mayonnaise

2 cups shredded (or grated) mozarella cheese

2 cups grated parmesan cheese

1 large onion, chopped

Method:
- Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl
- Put into a lightly greased casserole dish (about 20 x 30cm)
- Bake uncovered at 200 deg for 30 minutes
- Serve hot with crackers – and serviettes!

Amazing Artichoke Dip

This is so very yummy- and even people who SWORE that they hated artichokes were scarfing this down! Super easy and super delicious:

1 can of artichoke hearts, drained
1/2 cup toasted walnuts
1 cup flat leaf parsley
Small handful of spinach
1 clove of garlic
Juice of 1 small lemon, and a touch of lemon zest
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup EVOO
Sprinkle of Parmesan cheese

Blend in the food processor. BOOM. Serve on toasted baguette slices.

Roasted Pepper + Raisin Dip

When you read the ingredients in this dish, you're going to be a bit puzzled, but I assure you- I swear to you- that this easy-to-assemble app will rock your world.

Ingredients:
-6 red bell peppers
-1 cup of golden raisins
-Small handful of fresh oregano, chopped
-1/4cup E.V. Olive Oil
-3 tablespoons of SALT-PACKED capers, rinsed well
-Tiny sprinkle of salt
-Splash of red wine vinegar

1. Roast the peppers over a flame, or under the broiler. You want the peppers to be completely charred, if they don't look burnt all over then you won't be able to peel them. If they look like the ones I posted in the picture- then the skin will come off in TWO seconds. Easy peezy.

2. When peppers are done roasting, set them aside and let them cool.

3. Peel and seed the roasted peppers. Put them in a food processor and pulse a few times.

4. Now add raisins, EVOO, capers and oregano to the processor, pulse some more.

5. Enjoy!!

I highly recommend slicing a cibatta loaf thinly, drizzling with EVOO, putting under the broiler for minute- flipping it- browning the other side, and then scooping this amazing deliciousness onto the toast!

SE ASIA: Jaew Mak Len

Laos is FULL of delicious food...so long as you are NOT eating at the restaurants, but instead off the beaten path, making your way into the small markets. In Vang Vieng I was introduced to the best little backstreet market by my Rock Climbing guide, Yong. For about 25cents (US) you could get a little two serving bag of Jaew Mak Len, a roasted tomato and chili dip that is sometimes called the "salsa of southeast asia". It is delicious when eaten with hunks of sticky rice -- but now that I'm back in the States, it's also enjoyed with chips as a dip, or on top of some grilled steak (or chicken/fish). Here's a recipe that I came up with that is as close as you're gonna get to the real deal:

Ingredients:

• 6 plum tomatoes
• 3-4 thai chili peppers
• 5 cloves of garlic
• 6 shallots
• 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro
• 1 lime
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon agave nectar

Put the tomatoes on skewers. Put the garlic and shallots on a seperate skewer, and reserve another for the chili peppers. I used the barbeque -- you COULD roast them in the oven but I HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you grill them over a FLAME. Grill until fragrant, charred, and completely cooked throughout. (**BE CAREFUL WITH THE THAI CHILIS: when you put them on the skewer, their oil coats the skewer - so be cautious of how you are handling them. I touched my arm after handling them and had to apply an ice pack because the little bit of oil burnt my skin.) Anyways, after you take the goods off the grill - let them cool a bit. Now peel off the charred skins (except for the thai chilis, they can keep their red hot exterior). If you have a mortar and pestle then use this to mash up the ingredients. Otherwise just put everything into a food processor and give it a few shots. Add the fish sauce, agave nectar, salt and lime juice. When it's completely finished let it a cool a bit and then mix in the cilantro. Serve at room temperature (as is mostly everything in Laos). ENJOY.

Pumpkin Seed Pate

As I've previously mentioned, Bri is a GODDESS when it comes to creating delicious Raw food. Her Pumpkin Seed Pate makes you want to do BACKFLIPS...it's that freaking good. She cooks alot like me -- no measurements, a bit different everytime, just eyeing it and tasting it - so delivering her recipes to those of you who "measure everything" is a bit difficult. ALAS, last night I paid close attention to her proportions and this is just about on the spot....

3 cups raw pumpkin seeds {"pepitas"}

1/2 cup olive oil

5 cloves garlic

juice of one lemon

big handful of fresh cilantro

*She may have put a touch of salt and cayenne pepper in, but I don't quite remember. Make and taste, touch up if necessary.

This stuff is soooo good that, as JamD would say, you just want to "smear it all over your face". As a dip for veggies, eaten by the spoonful, on top of salads -- however, whenever - this stuff is like crack for healthy foodies.

Last night she used the Pate in her Seaweed Wraps. She made 2 different variations, both that had the pate inside. One was stuffed with fresh green apples, raisins, spinach and the pate. The other was with quinoa, spinach, cucumber, and pate. Both: epic.

Sweet Onion Dip, I Love You.

Ask me what I had for breakfast.
Really, I'm serious...go ahead, ask me...

Oven Roasted Sweet Onion Dip,
with potato chips and carrots.

Bah. So freaking delicious.


Chef Ro

Rochelle & Brad had Mom, Dad, Shawn and I over for dinner last night. Brad and Ro have been feeding me for years now - and Mom & Dad have had a few of their meals as well - but this was a first for Shawn, and he had NO idea that he was in for such a treat! They have spoiled me rotten with good wine, top-notch beer, and the most delectable food for such a long time now. Whatever they produce looks straight out of Gourmet magazine- perfection, all the way down to the garnish. They cook everything - Greek, Mexican, Italian....all of it. I would say though that Ro's specialty is simplicity. Simple flavors, combined to make something outrageous. She uses salt, pepper, lemon and olive oil for most everything. And don't get me wrong, I'm not "simplifying" her cooking because she uses simple ingredients - the genius of her food is that she only uses a few things...and the food is heavenly. She tends to cook French when it comes to appetizers, dips and aperitifs, which was the case last night. Rich & Delicious. Last night we had baguettes with a mild and creamy bleu cheese spread on them - baked and then drizzled with honey. Another baguette was done with a thin slice of fliet mignon, drizzled with a red wine cooli (this is red wine and sugar that has been reduced over the stove, down to a honey-like consistency). Ro roasted shrimp in the oven, with salt, pepper, lemon and olive oil and served these jumbo-delights with some homemade thousand island-like dressing. She made a scrumptious sundried tomato dip that was served alongside veggie crudites and some home-grown radishes. She made her signature hummus with pita bread to accompany, and as always - she had a big bowl of some fantastic marinated olives on the table. My FAVORITE of the evening was Ro's HOMEMADE potato chips - sliced, cooked and salted to perfection - that were served with a OVEN ROASTED SWEET ONION DIP. Oh-My-God. Let me say that again - OH-MY-GOD. It was creamy and salty and sweet and just the most fabulous dip I have ever tasted. I put it on veggies, on chips, on crackers and just on a fork.

The Chef and I - with sundried tomato dip and hummus.

And not only does Rochelle do food - but she also works in the wine industry, so we were sipping on some fantastic top-notch Merlot, in some very-fine wine glasses. Whenever I dine at their house it's like I have died and gone to heaven.

I have to get the recipe from Ro for her outstanding onion dip, but in the meantime I found a somewhat-similar recipe online.

Ingredients:
• 2 large sweet onions (Vidalia or Walla Walla), peeled and quartered
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 whole garlic head
• 1/3 cup nonfat sour cream
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, packed
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Place onion in a medium bowl and drizzle with olive oil then sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Toss to coat.

3. Remove white paper skin from garlic head but do not peel or separate cloves. Wrap and seal garlic head in foil.

4. Place onion and garlic on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.

5. Chop onion and place in a medium bowl. Separate garlic cloves and squeeze out pulp then discard skins.

6. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, sour cream, cilantro and lemon juice to onion mixture and mix well. Cover and chill for 1 hour.

Shawn, a SUCCESSFUL first meal @ Casa de Brad y Ro.

Grilled Fish with Chimichurri

I had some flounder that needed to be cooked up, and instead of cooking it the same way that I always do {cooked in the skillet with a little bit of olive oil so it gets nice and crispy...the way that my Dad makes it!} I decided to mix it up a bit. Since the sun has decided to come out again, I've been itching to use the grill. Boom. I decided it would be grilled...now for some spices. I flipped through one of my GOURMET magazines for inspiration and found a simple and delicious recipe for Chimichurri. This brought me back to an Anthony Bourdain episode when he was traveling and eating his way through Uruguay...and there, Chimchurri is served with everything! Anyways, the recipe in GOURMET called for Halibut, but flounder would work just fine. This could also be quite nice with some swordfish or drumfish. Anyways, here is a very interesting bit about Chimichurri {NOT to be confused with the Dominican 'taco-esque' dish 'chimichurris'}:

Chimichurri or Chimmichurri is a kind of green sauce, also used as a marinade, for grilled meat. It is originally from ARGENTINA and URUGUAY but is now used in countries as far north as Mexico. There are various fanciful etymologies for the word. One story claims that it comes from 'Jimmy McCurry', an Irishman who is said to have first prepared the sauce. He was marching with the troops of General Jasson Ospinan in the 19th century, sympathetic to the cause of Argentine Independence. The sauce was popular and the recipe was passed on. However, 'Jimmy McCurry' was difficult for the native people to say. Some sources claim Jimmy's sauce's name was corrupted to 'chimichurri', while others say it was changed in his honor. Other similar stories involve Jimmy Curry, an English meat importer; a Scot, James C. Hurray, travelling with Gauchos; and an English family in Patagonia overheard by the group of Argentinians that were with them while saying "give me the curry". All the stories share an English speaking colonist and the corruption of names or words by the local population.

Chimichurri is made from finely chopped parsley, minced garlic, vegetable oil or olive oil, white or red vinegar, and red pepper flakes. Additional flavorings such as paprika, oregano, cumin, thyme, cilantro, lemon and bay leaf may also be added. It is usually the only seasoning for steak and chorizo sausages in Argentina asados. It can also be used as a marinade for grilled meat. Chimichurri is also available bottled or dehydrated for preparing with oil and water.

The preparation is likely a mixture of Spanish and Italian methods, a general reflection of Argentine society as a whole.

Here is the recipe I used for Chimichurri:

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp water
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 1 Tbsp minced shallot
• 3/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 3/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parlsey

> Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, water, garlic, shallot, red pepper flakes, and 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper until well blended. Stir in parsley. Let chimichurri sit for 20 minutes.

> Meanwhile prepare the grill for direct-heat cooking over medium heat charcoal {or in my case with the gas grill, MED heat}

> Pat fish dry, then brush with just a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with some salt and pepper.

> Grill fish, covered only if using the gas grill, turning once. The whole grilling process should take about 10 minutes.

> Serve fish drizzled with some Chimichurri, serve remainder on the side.

*I grilled my fish with some Chimichurri ON it...it's totally up to you.

I served my fish with some Lemon Rice. I had some leftover cooked Basmati Rice and I threw it in the skillet, a little bit of olive oil, with a teaspoon of turmeric, a teaspoon of mustard seeds, a teaspoon of dried mint, squeezed half a lemon into it, and a little dash of salt. MmMm good.

Fiesta. Fiesta.

Cinco De Mayo. One of my favorite holidays!! I threw a little family fiesta this year and the menu was as follows {all food was homemade, from scratch...obviously}: bean dip, mango salsa, shrimp quesadillas {made by Sharonie}, grilled lime corn, tacos, sopapilla cheesecake, fresh fruit {gracias Pablito!}and sangria {i know, i know, this is from Spain, but whatever! They speak spanish there!}. Here are my recipes:

Mango Salsa:

1 mango

2 red onions

3 tomatoes

2 red bell peppers

1 jalapeno {or more if you like it hot}

juice of 2 limes

small handful of cilantro

2-3 cloves of garlic

*dice it all up, drizzle some olive oil on there, little bit of pepper, and a few generous shakes of salt - voila!

Grilled Lime Corn:

corn on the cob, in the husk {however many you are going to eat}

chili powder

chipotle pepper powder

butter

cilantro

lime

cheese: contija or other mexican cheese. contija looks similar to parmesan sprinkle cheese. you could also substitute feta if you'd like.

*soak the corn in cold water for an hour. fire up the grill on med-high and put on the corn. it will grill for about 20 minutes...more or less depending upon your grill. turn frequently. the outside of the husks will turn golden brown. when they are done, take em off the grill and pull the husks down. you can separate the husks in two and tie them so that they make a handle almost. now time to dress the corn: rub butter on them, sprinkle with chipotle pepper powder and a dash of chili powder...dust with some cheese, squeeze 1/4 of a lime over the corn and then sprinkle with some diced cilantro. BOOM. so delicious.

Sopapilla Cheesecake:

2 packs of cream cheese

2 packages of crescent rolls

pat of butter

cup of sugar

cinnamon

- 9 x 13" baking pan

* preheat the oven to 350. warm cream cheese to room temperature. spray the baking pan with non-stick spray. unroll crescent rolls inside bottom of pan. use 1/2 cup of sugar and mix with cream cheese. spread cream cheese/sugar mixture over crescent dough. unroll second crescent roll dough over top of cheese. melt the bit of butter and brush it over the top layer. mix the remaining sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl and sprinkle over top. bake uncovered for 30 minutes. this should ONLY be eaten for cinco de mayo, considering that the calories and fat in it are through the roof! once a year kinda-dessert.

Sangria:

1 big bottle of red wine

2 cans of ginger ale

1/2 cup of contrieau

fruit

*pour wine into large pitcher, add contrieau and fruit. i used an orange, a lemon, a lime, blueberries, strawberries, and

an apple. the orange, lemon and lime i sliced into thin circles because it looks cute in your glass like that! anyways, put that in the fridge and let sit over night. pour the ginger ale in right before you serve it - and serve over ice!

pablito and me.

aunt ciss, jeff, paulie, shar and dad feasting

sharonie and mom enjoying my grilled lime corn

the "boys" table: dad, my brother and jeff pace.

sharonie says the sangria is GOOOOOOD.

Cinco de Mayo is NOT just about sopapilla cheesecake and salsa:

(wikipedia says...)

Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for "fifth of May") is a regional holiday in Mexico, primarily celebrated in the state of Puebla, with some limited recognition in other parts of Mexico.^[1][2] The holiday commemorates the Mexican army's unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, under the leadership of Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín.^[3][4] The outnumbered Mexicans defeated a much better-equipped French army that had not been defeated in almost 50 years.^[5]

Cinco de Mayo is not "an obligatory federal holiday" in Mexico, but rather a holiday that can be observed voluntarily.^[6][7]

While Cinco de Mayo has limited significance nationwide in Mexico, the date is observed in the United States and other locations around the world as a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride.^[8] A common misconception in the United States is that Cinco de Mayo is Mexico's Independence Day,^[9] which actually is September 16 (dieciséis de septiembre in Spanish),^[10] the most important national patriotic holiday in Mexico.^[11]

the battle of the spotted zebralions

HOP INK & Greek Cuisine!

So, my friend Gina came to visit for the weekend. We had a lovely time filled with sunbathing, food, chatting, food, and more food. Anyways, before she left on Monday evening I made us an easy and delicious greek feast for lunch. Here's the easy recipes:

Greek Salad:

• lettuce (romaine)
• sliced cucumber
• sliced tomato
• thinly sliced sweet yellow onion
• kalmata olives
• feta cheese

greek salad dressing:

1/3 lemon juice

2/3 GOOD olive oil

salt and pepper

fresh dill

Served alongside our Greek Salad was Grilled Lemon Chicken Shishkabobs with homemade tzatziki.

Grilled Lemon Chicken Shishkabobs:

Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Cut into cubes. Load up the skewer and then douse the chicken with lemon juice (squeeze a whole lemon on there!), and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Pour some olive oil on top or spray with PAM and throw onto a hot grill. I had the grill on Medium-High. I let the chicken cook on one side for about 5 minutes before turning it.

Tzatziki Sauce:

• 1 small container plain yogurt, or greek yogurt
• small handful of chopped fresh dill
• even smaller handful of chopped fresh mint
• salt & pepper
• grated cucumber, (about half a medium-sized cucumber)

Boom. It was delicious. Yummy greek salad and some fresh-off-the-grill lemon chicken topped with homemade tzatziki. I think the whole meal took me about 20 minutes to make...grilling included. Serve a grilled pita on the side -- brush with some olive oil, throw on the grill - a minute or so on each side. MmMmMm.

Here's Gina and I after our lovely afternoon lunch.

“He who receives his friends and gives no personal attention to the meal which is being prepared for them, is not worthy of having friends.”
Jean-Antheleme Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826)

**************

Gina's Company, HOP Ink Studio. She makes hand-crafted notes, cards, envelopes, stationary, books and illustrations. To send to "somebunny" special. Again, her email address is ginaenberg@mac.com She has a store on etsy.com: hopinkstudios.etsy.com which will be updated with new inventory at the end of this month.

BEETS.

"The wise man should consider that health is the greatest of human blessings.
Let food be your medicine."

- Hippocrates

MmMmMm...I love Beets! And this is why I have a hard time understanding everyone's fear of the fabulous, bright and delicious vegetable! So, I figured that if I perhaps educated everyone a little about it that maybe they wouldn't look at 'beet' as such a scary thing...

Brief history: Beets are part of the Amaranth family (most species being herbs or subshrubs). The most familiar and common beet is the garden beet, a red rooted vegetable. Beets have been cultivated forever, as far back as the 8th century BC. Their popularity exploded in Europe around the 19th century after the discovery that sucrose could be extracted from the sugar beet. (Sugar beets are now the main source for table sugar).

The Garden Beet. Also known as the table beet, beetroot, red beet...or simply, beet. They can be eaten boiled, pickled, cooked like a vegetable, or raw and cold. In Europe, beet soup (called "borscht") is a very popular dish. In addition to their bright red coloring, there are also yellow-colored beets {though grown on a much smaller scale}.

"He that takes medicine and neglects diet, wastes the skill of the physician."
- Chinese Proverb

Beet's for your Health! Beets are rich in Betaine. Betaine is very important for our cardiovascular health, and therefore adding more beets to your diet helps prevent heart disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease. It also helps protect against liver disease, so for all you drinkers out there, eat up! Because beets are also rich in nitrates, they are great for lowering the blood pressure. After drinking a glass of beetjuice, your blood pressure will drop within the hour!

Beetroot juice has been considered an aphrodisiac since the time of the Romans! Boron, which is a major element in the production of human sex hormones, is plentiful in beets! woo-wooo!

Here are some of my favorite beet recipes. Don't be afraid.
Boiled Beets: Boiled beets are great for a salad. Trinity Pub in Atlantic City makes a kick ass Beet and Goat Cheese Salad. Here's a great recipe that I've used to make my own:

• 4 medium beets - scrubbed, trimmed and cut in half
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 (10 ounce) package mixed baby salad greens
• 1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 ounces goat cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Place beets into a saucepan, and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then cook for 20 to 30 minutes, until tender. Drain and cool, then cut in to cubes.
2. While the beets are cooking, place the walnuts in a skillet over medium-low heat. Heat until warm and starting to toast, then stir in the maple syrup. Cook and stir until evenly coated, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice concentrate, balsamic vinegar and olive oil to make the dressing.
4. Place a large helping of baby greens onto each of four salad plates, divide candied walnuts equally and sprinkle over the greens. Place equal amounts of beets over the greens, and top with dabs of goat cheese. Drizzle each plate with some of the dressing.

Pickled Beets: I love pickled beets just the way they are! But, other delicious ways to eat them are with some crumbled blue cheese on top...add maybe a splash of balsamic vinegar on top. To make it into a salad, just add lettuce!

Raw Beets: MmMm Raw is my favorite way to eat them. I eat em just like I would a carrot, dipping them in dressing or better yet, in HUMMUS. Another great way to eat them is to just slice them thin, dress with a Asian Sesame dressing, and sprinkle a bit of cayenne pepper on top for some zing. Here is my Hummus recipe,great for dipping:

1 can chick peas
1/4 can of olive oil (use the chick pea can for measuring)
juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons sesame seeds or 1 large tablespoon of tahini
red pepper flakes (season to taste)
2 cloves chopped garlic
salt and pepper (to taste)
*and if you have any of the following throw them in: fresh cilantro, parsley, cumin, turmeric...get creative.

Put all of it in a food processor and blend to a consistency you like!

And here is a BORSCHT recipe. Though I have never had it, you can't "google" a beet without this coming up. So give it a try. The Europeans love it, and THEY know food...

Ingredients

• 8 cups beef broth
• 1 pound slice of meaty bone-in beef shank
• 1 large onion, peeled, quartered
• 4 large beets, peeled, chopped
• 4 carrots, peeled, chopped
• 1 large russet potato, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 cups thinly sliced cabbage
• 3/4 cup chopped fresh dill
• 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 cup sour cream
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1 Bring 4 cups of the beef broth, the beef shank, and onion to boil in large pot. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until meat is tender, about 1 hour 30 minutes.

2 Transfer meat to work surface; trim fat, sinew and bone and discard. Chop meat; cover and chill. Cool broth slightly. Chill in pot until cold, at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.

3 Spoon fat from top of chilled broth and discard. Add remaining 4 cups broth, beets, carrots, and potato; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

4 Stir in meat, cabbage and 1/2 cup dill; cook until cabbage is tender, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in vinegar.

Ladle soup into bowls. Top with sour cream and remaining 1/4 cup dill. Serves 6.

Don't ya know it, don't ya know it...it just so happens that one of my favorite writers, Tom Robbins, has a quote about BEETS....

"The beet is the most intense of vegetables. The radish, admittedly, is more feverish, but the fire of the radish is a cold fire, the fire of discontent, not of passion. Tomatoes are lusty enough, yet there runs through tomatoes an undercurrent of frivolity. Beets are deadly serious." --Tom Robbins