
Creamy Garlic Beets and Greens
Let’s Get Pretty in Pink with Beets
Vegetable recipes from Dr Athale always seem to start with ghee, garlic, ginger and chili peppers, especially for bitter spring greens. While we do use ghee we like to explore vegan options and this creamy garlic beets and greens recipe became a love that extended to our entire garden throughout the Summer. We have made this with beets and beet greens, chard, arugula, spinach, radishes, radish greens, you name it! However, to get the most beautiful dish to share we recommend trying it first with bright beets and their greens, then explore more variations from there.
Before you dive in, let’s look at the qualities of the meal so you know exactly when and how to consume this tasty dish. Beets are sweet and slightly warming which makes them ideal for Vata dosha, particularly in the Autumn season when Vata is in excess and the beets and onions are kept from the Summer harvest.
So why share them now? If you are here in New England the dry qualities of Winter have come to a head, and yes Kapha is starting to increase; but the flip-flop of Maine Spring can create alternating experiences of both excess Vata and Kapha (especially in our home after arriving from Puerto Rico’s humid weather to now making a fire to keep warm).
Let’s talk through this.
If you are noticing excess dryness, coldness and roughness in the system then Creamy Garlic Beets can be prepared in the Vata reducing way with onion, garlic, ginger, and coconut milk. If you notice more mucus, stickiness and slower digestion you can make them in the Kapha reducing way with a small amount of ghee, onion, ginger, garlic, chili pepper and a pinch of the Agni Spice Mix. If this is confusing feel free to reach out for a Health Consultation and we can talk through the process together!
Nothing better than Creamy Garlic Beets and Greens
While we wait for our garden harvests to look like the pictures above, beets are indeed one of the first seeds to hit the ground. Cold tolerant and easy to grow, you may notice that your local CSA already has them this time of year. Ours does! As we mentioned you can substitute any green, even wild ones like dandelion. As the season develops you can experiment with fresh herbs like rosemary, basil or tarragon to add bright flavor to the recipe. We enjoy rosemary dried from last season in the spring but get creative as the season opens.
Which salt is best for you?
Did you know Sandhava or Himalayan Rock Salt is cooling in nature which differs from the warming qualities of Sea Salt. During the Summer and Autumn Season we switch to Pink Salt, however during Winter and Spring Seasons Sea Salt can be enjoyed. In Maine we are blessed to be surrounded by the salty sea and our friends down the street at Slacktide Maine harvest sea salt locally! Not only is it local, which is always best, but their salt helps draw the flavors out of the meal, bringing the sweet taste of beets and bitter greens to the surface delicately while adding some sparkle to the sprinkle due to their beautiful flaky product. If you love coastal Maine as much as we do we highly recommend giving their product a try.
Creamy Garlic Beets and Greens
Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Cooking Time: 15 Minutes
Total time: 20 Minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients
The Recipe
- 3-4 Medium Size Beets cut into bite size pieces with their greens (or sub handful fresh greens)
- 1 Onion Sliced
- 1/2 cup Coconut Milk (Kapha Dosha sub 1 tsp ghee)
- 1 tsp Tamari or Braggs Liquid Aminos
- 1 Clove Garlic minced
- 1 Thumb Ginger minced
- Finish with Sea Salt (we like Slacktide Maine's)
- 1 Chili Pepper (optional)
- 1 tsp dried Rosemary or a small handful fresh herbs of choice