Fresh Beet Salad

Yes, you can eat beets raw. I used to think you had to cook them. They can taste a little...rooty...if you take a bite of a raw beet, but grating them and adding to salads can taste truly wonderful and refreshing! (Not to mention an easy dish and great way to get some Vitamin C, Iron, Magnesium, Fiber, Folate, Potassium, and Manganese-- click here for a full description of nutrition facts for beets.)

Fresh Beet Salad

1 beet, peeled and grated

Choice of greens (I used a Spring Mix here)

Garbanzo or other beans (if you want to eat completely raw then omit this ingredient)

Lemon juice

Olive oil

Salt

Fill your plate with greens. Top with grated beets and garbanzo beans. Squeeze lemon juice from 1/4 lemon (to taste), drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with sea salt.

I had 3 platefuls of this and was incredibly satisfied. It was almost as if I could feel the live energy from the raw beets and all the leafy greens I had piled on my plate so generously. The beans definitely made it more hearty, if you are not eating 100% raw and need some extra plant-based protein. :)