I absolutely love beets - but I used to hate them, because I’d never eaten them fresh. There is such a difference between the flavor of food that comes directly from the farm to you than when it’s been shipped from three thousand miles away to your grocery store.

Here’s a tip for preparing fresh beets: remove the beet greens as soon as you get home from the market. That way you can enjoy both the roots and the greens and keep them both fresh. Save the greens for stock, saute or even a salad.

3 large beets
1 head of butter lettuce
1/2 cup walnuts
Walnut oil for drizzling over salad
Olive oil for preparing beets

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Wash the beets (no need to peel yet), rub them with some olive oil and place them on a baking sheet or in a roasting pan. Roast the beets for approximately an hour, depending on the size. You’ll know they’re done when you can pierce them with a fork and the fork goes all the way through.
3. Let the beets cool for about 30 minutes - you’ll then be able to peel them easily by just rubbing the skin off under some water.
4. Coarsely chop the beets.
5. Serve chopped roasted beets over fresh butter lettuce. Drizzle with some walnut oil and sprinkle walnuts on top.
6. Serve with bread and either butter or olive oil for a simple, filling and delicious meal.

Jen Dalton is an organic home cook and slow food organizer who uses fresh local ingredients. This summer she is partnering with Care2.com and LocalHarvest.org to promote the “Love Your Farmer’s Market” contest. Jen’s 7 episode cooking show will raise awareness of local foods and community farmers markets. Be sure to visit the Love Your Farmers Market contest website to vote for your favorite market: