Roasted Beets & Stems with Bulgur

Directions

Make the beets

1. Preheat the oven to 400F.

2. Wash the beets and beet stems thoroughly in cold water (I like to add a bit of vinegar and let it soak.)
3. Dry the beets and cut the stems off. Save the stems for later.
4. Wrap the beets in aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet. Roast for 1 hour, until tender. If they're big, you may need to cook them a bit longer.
5. While the beets cook, grate the garlic into a small bowl. Whisk in the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
6. Poke the beets with a fork to make sure they're tender, then remove from the oven. Let cool, then peel by rubbing a paper towel on the surface. Roughly chop the peeled beets and add to the bowl with the dressing. Stir to combine.

Make the stems

1. Soak the stems in water and white vinegar for 20 minutes to get them really clean. Then rinse them to get the vinegar off, using a salad spinner to dry them if you have one.

2. Chop the stems and leaves into 1/2"-1" pieces.
3. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan and add the onion. Cook for 5-8 minutes, until soft. Add the beet stems to the pan and cook for another 3-5 minutes to let them soften.
4. Add the garlic to the pan and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. Stir in the cumin, turmeric, and paprika. Toast the spices for about a minute, until they deepen in color.
5. Pour in the broth and stir to combine. Cover the pan and lower the heat to medium-low. Cook for 20 minutes, so the flavors meld together and the beet stems soften.
6. Add the bulgur and salt and stir to combine. Cover the pan again and cook for 15-20 more minutes, until the bulgur is tender. Adjust seasonings to taste and serve immediately. This will also keep well in the fridge for 3 days (I like to eat mine with cottage cheese.)