Be still, my "beet"ing heart

A love affair has begun with this brilliantly colored veggie and its many uses. I juice them, make crackers out of the pulp, add them to salads and more.

Beets also lend themselves to making a vivid dye. I add a touch of its juice to icings and other recipes, which are enhanced by its romantically magenta hue.

Today, I took advantage of their pigment, using it as a stamp on a plain brown gift bag. I cut a beet into a heart-shape stamp, and by pressing it firmly against the bag, made soft and natural pink-tinged prints, perfect for the upcoming Valentine's Day holiday.

I've also been known to add them to my beauty routine (along with a little dab of vanilla on my wrists and behind my ears while I'm whipping up something sweet in the kitchen). "You Can't Stop the 'Beet'," like that song in "Hairspray" (seriously, does that song ever stop). There's no end to this vegetable's possibilities.

It makes a complimentary shade for your pout and a blushing stain for your cheeks. The same can be accomplished with cherries, strawberries (which can also be used to whiten your teeth) and other brightly colored fruits and veggies. Talk about natural beauty. Tasty!

Next, I think I'll go make a smoothie version (I just skip the juicing part, blending all the ingredients in my Blendtec) of Sarma's hot pink juice from her "Raw Food, Real World" book (Give It To Me Raw members get 15% off their One Lucky Duck orders, so sign up today). It's a combo of beets, strawberries (do you think their whitening effect will negate the staining properties of the beets?), pineapple and ginger. Don't knock it until you try it.

Now my friend Raw B (hey, beets start with "B") probably has had this juice as part of her juice feast. She's lucky enough to live nearby its origins.

Yesterday, which also happens to have been my three month anniversary of this blog, B suggested starting a Rawdorable fan club, complete with t-shirts. She's so sweet (I'm definitely a Raw B fan). Anybody interested in joining her? Now, I'm blushing, and it's not just from the beets.

I understand if you think it is a little ridiculous. My hubby and I had a good chuckle about the idea. But, before I laugh it off entirely, I told B I'd ask what you, my loyal readers, think. So, what do you think?