Quick Side: Creamy Spinach with Beets ♥

As so often happens in the kitchen, 'fusion' recipes can be utterly delicious.

A. Beets were on sale for $1 a pound so I bought a bunch to make borscht. OMG do you make borscht? I must, more often! Anyway I roasted the extra beets, not sure where they'd end up, beyond the first beet which gets eaten straight from the oven.

B. Ever since making these baked eggs (also called 'shirred eggs', my friend food stylist Linda Behrends reminded me recently) I've been captivated by what happens when you cook a handful of spinach in cream or half 'n' half.

A + B = D, Delicious new side dish! And fast and easy and ... yes, it's a keeper!

LESSON LEARNED When I roasted beets a couple of days ago, they seemed dirtier than usual and so I scrubbed and scrubbed, even getting out a vegetable brush. What a mistake! What I thought was 'dirt' was actually a thin protective layer. Once this was gone or broken, the juice of the beet seeped out, making a real mess in the oven even though wrapped in foil. The lesson: wash beets well, soak them if needed to soften excess soil, but don't scrub them hard.

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FROM THE ARCHIVES Having a few roasted beets on hand is wonderful. Just check the Recipe Box for all the great ways to use cooked beets (scroll down a bit for a special section).

FROM GREAT FOOD BLOGS
Nami Nami ... a fellow beet lover
Confessions of a Cardamom Addict ... beetroot hummus
Daydream Delicious ... beetroot & lemon risotto

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CREAMY SPINACH with BEETS

Hands-on time: maybe 10 minutes
Time to table: maybe 15 minutes
Serves 1, easily multiplied

1/4 cup half 'n' half
A handful of fresh spinach, stems removed (an important step!)
1/2 a cooked beet, diced

Warm half 'n' half in a small skillet, add spinach all at once and toss a bit to coat. Let cook til soft but still bright green in color. Stir in beets and let warm through. Devour immediately!

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Per Serving: 132 Cal (47% from Fat, 15% from Protein, 38% from Carb); 5 g Protein; 7 g Tot Fat; 4 g Sat Fat; 14 g Carb; 3 g Fiber; NetCarb 11; 147 mg Calcium; 3 mg Iron; 146 mg Sodium; 22 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 2 points