The last harvest of our garden this year was a crop of striped and golden beets, with the lovely beet greens growing out of them.
I decided to put them into a simple pasta dish that everyone enjoyed.
Today I’m thinking about what else I can do for the planet, now that winter is coming and the garden is going to sleep.
One thing we’re trying this year is an indoor garden, with seedlings planted under grow lights.
I planted kohlrabi, collard greens, lettuce, sage, basil, green onions, chard, oregano, sunflower sprouts, and some more beets.
It’s very nourishing to see the seedlings growing every day with so much hope in their little leaves.
“The single greatest lesson the garden teaches is that our relationship to the planet need not be zero-sum, and that as long as the sun still shines and people still can plan and plant, think and do, we can, if we bother to try, find ways to provide for ourselves without diminishing the world.”― Michael Pollan
If you have a window that lets light into your house, you can grow something!
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 10 leaves sage, minced (or 1 tsp dry sage)
- 2 large bunches of beets with their greens (or many small ones if you grow them yourself – I had about 20 small beets with greens)
- 1 pound gluten-free pasta
- Vegan parmesan for sprinkling on top
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Separate the beet roots from the greens, and set the greens aside. In a medium pot, cover all the beet roots with water. Bring to a boil on high heat, then turn the heat down to medium-low and let them boil for about 15 minutes or until a fork can easily go through the biggest beet.
Run the beets under cold water and peel the skins off. Chop up into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Add a handful of salt.
While the water is coming to a boil, heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 5 minutes until the onion begins to soften and brown, stirring frequently.
Add the garlic and sage to the onion mix and cook, stirring often, for another 2-3 minutes. Add salt and pepper if you like. The smell should be lovely!
Wash and chop the beet greens, then add them to the pasta pot along with the dry pasta. Cook according to package directions.
Drain the pasta and beet greens in a colander together, return to the large pot, then stir in the chopped beets and the onion-garlic-greens mixture. Mix well and serve hot, topped with a sprinkling of vegan parmesan. Enjoy!
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