When Life Throws You Beets, Make Pancakes

One thing we have been very thankful for during our time at seminary is that Josh's brother Mark and Vanessa (and now Eli!) have been here with us the entire time. 

We all moved to Dallas on the same 110 degree day three years ago...sharing the same big moving truck. 

And we've all been here ever since. 

They've been a blessing in so many ways...it's good to have family close by.

This week, though, Mark, Vanessa and Eli are gone away on a trip.  And they left us with a very important black bin when they left.

It's their veggie bin that they use to pick up local (mostly) organic veggies every Saturday. 

That's right, we get to eat their veggies while they're away. :)

 Don't you feel healthier just looking at all those veggies?

It was really fun to get this bin.  There was a little bit of everything in there.  Including this kale, which Josh has been using in green super smoothies all week:

Bananas, potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, an onion, mini peaches, oranges, green beans, the cutest little eggplant, broccoli...

and beets.

Beets. 

The beets are what stumped me.  I had absolutely no idea what we were going to do with the beets.

I don't hate beets, but I don't love them either.  I'm just kind of on the fence about beets, you know what I'm saying? 

But I didn't want them to go to waste, so I found a recipe for beet, carrot & onion pancakes.  Doesn't that sound like a good way to consume beets?!

(Unfortunately) these aren't the kind of pancakes you smother with maple syrup.  No, these are the kind of pancakes you douse with salt instead.

It was an interesting experiment, and came out pretty good.  If you hate beets, you will tolerate these pancakes.  If you are on the fence about beets, you will like these pancakes.  And if you love beets you will LOVE these pancakes.  We would make them again.

And one thing is for sure:  No matter what your opinion is about beets, you will definitely feel like a health super hero and be very happy with yourself for eating so healthily after eating these pancakes.  :) 

So the moral of this story is:

Next time life throws you a box of beets...

Make pancakes.

Beet and Carrot Pancakes

• 1 1/3 cups (packed) coarsely shredded peeled beets (from 2 medium)
• 1 cup coarsely shredded peeled carrots (from 2 medium)
• 1 cup thinly sliced onion
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons olive oil (I used a little less)
• Extra Salt (lots)
• Low-fat sour cream or cottage cheese

Preheat oven to 300°F. Place baking sheet in oven. Combine beets, carrots and onion in large bowl. Mix in egg, salt and pepper. Add flour; stir to blend well.

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Using 1/3 cup beet mixture for each pancake, drop 4 pancakes into skillet. Flatten each into 3-inch round. Cook until brown and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.

Transfer pancakes to baking sheet in oven; keep warm. Repeat with remaining beet mixture, making 4 more pancakes.

Serve pancakes as a side dish with sour cream or as a main dish with cottage cheese.  Sprinkle pancakes generously with salt.



Sweet Beet Baby