We recently got back from a trip to Argentina where we did a bunch of awesome things including beautiful parks and historical sites, road tripping, hanging out with family and friends, and generally taking in the summer sun and other culture. It was a great trip!

The food inspiration I had while in Argentina was beets! I know. Out of all the awesome culinary experiences we had, I decided to write about beets. But keep in mind that I was fascinated by how many beets I ate while I was there without even realizing it. Beets are sometimes difficult to love, but so prevalent during winter. All you need to do is get inspired and add beets to recipes that you would have never considered adding them to. We ate beets in salads, sandwiches, even on pizza! My favorite salad was delicious and wholesome, and it included rice, carrots, peas, potatoes, hard boiled eggs and beets, all chopped up small and mixed with oil, mayo or even salsa golf (which is mayo, lemon and ketchup). I loved one sandwich so much I even took a picture of it! It seemed like a good winter sandwich since it involves some root vegetables. Here’s the recipe:

Veggie Sandwich with Beets

• French bread
• One carrot, shredded
• Lettuce, shredded
• Red cabbage. shredded
• Cheese slices, whatever you’d like
• Mayo, oil, vinegar, or whatever is your favorite condiment

I also found myself wanting something sweet the other day and we had four small beets left over.  I decided to try this chocolate cake which has a surprise ingredient: beets! You’d never know, because you can’t taste them.

Here’s the recipe. I usually half it to make less cake:

Surprise Choc Cake

• 2 cups of cooked and mushed beets
• 1/2 cup of applesauce
• 1 and 1/2 cups of sugar (sometimes I do half white and half brown for added flavor)
• 1/2 cup of vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup of vanilla yogurt
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup of baking cocoa
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• 2 and 1/2 cups of flour
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/2 cup of chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup of pecans or walnuts (optional)

Mix the mushed beets and applesauce in a small bowl. In a large mixing bowl, mix the sugar, oil, yogurt and eggs and beet with a mixer for 2 mins or until well mixed. Then add cocoa and vanilla, and beet/applesauce mix and beet for another minute. Add the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and stir with a spoon until just mixed. Finally fold in the choc and nuts if using, pour into 9×13″ pan and bake at 350 until knife inserted in center comes out clean. It usually takes between 45 and 50 minutes.

You can serve with sprinkled confectioners sugar, or frost it. Even serve with cream or ice cream.

Hope this helps you eat your beets! Just be adventurous!