This recipe makes beets a bit more versatile and preserves them in the process.  Dehydrated beets will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks and in the freezer for a few months.

Candied Beets

Candied Beets

Clean, peel and slice 3-4 raw beets
Slice thick for salads or smoothies/thin for chips
In a bowl or plastic bag, coat with 1 Tbls. EVOO and 1Tbls. Coconut palm sugar.

Dehydrate at 115 for about 3-4 hours.
Store in the refrigerator. Chop for salad or put into juice or smoothies.

Raw beets are nutritional powerhouses, containing high levels of fiber, the right kinds of natural sugars, an impressive amount of carotenoids and antioxidants which help protect against heart disease and colon cancer.  Beets are one of the richest sources of natural plant iron making them a powerful blood builder.  They also contain niacin, copper, potassium, folate, zinc, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus and vitamins C and K.  Betacyanin is the substance which gives beets their rich red color. This pigment helps to substantially increase the oxygen-carrying ability of the blood.
Beets are high in betaine; an amino acid naturally present in fresh vegetables. Betaine stimulates the production of SAM-e, or S-adenoslmethionine.  SAM e is formed from the essential amino acid methionine and adenosine triphosphate. SAM e is found in every living cell, where it is essential to 100 different cellular reactions.  It also serves as a precursor to the synthesis of glutathionine, a potent liver protector.  Neurotransmitters such as noradrenaline, adrenaline, dopamine, serotonin, and histamine are also dependent on SAM e reactions.