As spring is here and summer quickly approaches, so is the need for some recipes to help store and enjoy the produce that will soon be coming our way! We were part of a CSA last year and we are doing it again this year. (Our house is going to be a drop site, so let me know if you are interested in more info)  As is the nature of a CSA there is often A LOT of one type of produce that arrives all at one time!

Like beets!

They tend to ripen and are harvested all that the same time. So usually there are a few weeks that have 10 or more beets or other such veggie. What do you do with them?

I usually spend some time researching different recipes that use ingredients that I have on hand or things that I need to use. But sometimes there are just too many to use, or my family will mutiny if we have beets for dinner one more time!

I do some canning, fermentation, and freezing… but I really don’t have a ton of space. Especially since we only have one fridge, the ferments need to stay cold. I can’t wait to one day have a home with a cold cellar! It will open a whole new world for me! 😉

But until then… I LOVE pickled beets! And so does my grandfather! So if I have 5 extra that don’t want to be eaten right away, but I’m worried might go bad, then I just do a quick pickle. But if we are really over beets for the season and if I have significantly more than just 5 beets, then I can them and we can enjoy them WHEN DESIRED over the winter!

This recipe is for a quick pickle which is super delish and is healthier than the traditional varieties that call for white sugar and lots of it! I made this recipe for my grandfather and although he said it wasn’t quite sweet enough, he sure did eat quite a few of them and didn’t seem to mind too much! So I’m guessing that it was a comment and not a critique that would affect his eating habits!

So without further adieu:

Paleo Quick Pickle Beets

Ingredients:

• 1 cup warm water
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 1 ½ cups vinegar
• 5 large beets

Instructions:

1. Wash the outside of the beets and scrub well to remove all dirt. The water used to boil the beets will be used later in the recipe.
2. Boil water and add beets.  Cook until a fork can be inserted to the center and doesn’t feel raw
3. Remove from boiling water and cool.
4. Peal and chop into bite sized pieces.
5. Mix the warm water (tap warm is fine or water from boiling the beets) and maple syrup until dissolved and completely combined.
6. Add the rest of the ingredients.
7. Store in a glass jar and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, but overnight is better.

Notes:

1. Make sure the solution covers the beets. You can always mix up a little more of the syrup if needed.
2. Also, if you store this in plastic make sure it’s a disposable container or one that you don’t care about. It WILL be permanently stained purple or pink!
3. You can also add a few raw onions to the mix. Hubby loves it that way, but I’m not a huge fan of raw onions.

And… on a practical note, don’t drop it if it’s in a jar. This has always been a fear of mine… and a valid one I found out at the end of last year! I was putting the jar away and the bottom hit the edge of the shelf instead if being set on the shelf, totally my fault. I wasn’t paying attention. The bottom of the jar broke off and the beets and juice splattered all over the floor.

Now, mind you, I have a concrete floor in the kitchen. This is due to the fact that we put new flooring in the house TWO YEARS ago and my handy hubby hasn’t finished the floor in the kitchen. It was a point of contention for a while, but now I hardly notice it…. however, this day, I was really glad the new floors hadn’t been put in.

Now it looks like someone with fuchsia blood was killed in front of my fridge. Half of my kitchen floor has a bright pink stain with splatter marks all around it. This was the end of last year and the stain hasn’t lightened… at all!!!!

So keep that as a fair warning! And also not a great food for kids in white or in fancy clothing!