Category:  Vegetables

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Active prep time: 15 minutes
Inactive prep time: 30-35 minutes (cooking beets)
Serves: 4

For a dinner on Valentine’s Day or any day, this beet salad makes for a perfect side dish. The beets are infused with exquisite flavors – olive oil, lime juice, balsamic vinegar, red onion. The white tzatziki complements the red and yellow beets!

PREPARE THE TZATZIKI FIRST AND THEN CHILL IT IN REFRIGERATOR FOR AT LEAST TWO (2) HOURS –

Ingredients for the Tzatziki:
1 Persian cucumber (this variety is small)
1-1/4 cups Greek yogurt (whole milk, low fat or nonfat)
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint or dill (optional)
salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Directions for the Tzatziki:
1. Peel and coarsely grate the cucumber. Put it in a sieve and squeeze out as much of the water as possible.

2. Place grated cucumber in a 1-quart bowl.

3. Add the yogurt, garlic and chopped mint or dill to the cucumber in bowl. Mix well.

4. Stir in the salt and ground black pepper, to taste. Adjust seasonings, if needed.

5. Cover the tzatziki with plastic wrap and chill in refirgerator.

6. Meanwhile, cook and prepare the beet salad.

Ingredients for the Beets:
2 fresh, whole medium red beets, peeled and set aside
2 fresh, whole medium yellow beets, peeled and set aside
1/2 of a red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
4 to 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
juice from 1 lime
4 tablespoons dark balsamic vinegar
salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup fresh pistachio meats, coarsely-crushed for garnish

Directions for the Beets:
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. Wrap each peeled beet in aluminum foil, gathering the foil at top of beet and twisting it closed.

3. Place each wrapped beet on an oven rack that is set at center of oven.

4. Bake the beets for 30 minutes.

5. After 30 minutes, partially unwrap one beet and place a pointed knife all the way through. If the beet feels too firm, bake for 5 more minutes.

6. After 5 minutes, test doneness of beet once more. If tender, the knife will easily go through the beet. If needed, bake beets for 5 more minutes.

7. When beets are done, transfer them to a plate on a counter. Unwrap the beets and set aside to cool.

8. After beets have cooled to room temperature, slice the red ones into 1/4-inch thick slices.

9. Cut each slice into 1/4-inch wide sticks; transfer the but beets to a mixing bowl.

10. Repeat with the yellow beets, placing them in a separate bowl.

11. Divide the red onion slices, olive oil, lime juice, balsamic vinegar, salt and ground black pepper among the red beets and yellow beets.

12. Taste and adjust levels of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and seasonings, if needed. Cover each bowl of beets with plastic wrap until ready to serve. Beets can be prepared a few hours before serving.

At Serving Time:
1. Inside the rim of a dinner plate, using a spoon, form a one-inch wide circle of tzatziki.

2. Next, spoon the beets at center of the dinner plate, alternating red beet salad and yellow beet salad, for colorful display.

3. Garnish beets and tzatziki with crushed pistachios and drizzle drops of olive oil over the tzatziki. Serve immediately.
Text & Photograph ©2026 Nancy DeLucia Real

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Prep time: 20 to 30 minutes
Serves: 4 (as a side dish) – leftovers are great!

This cactus leaf salad hails from Mexico and is called “ensalada de nopales” (Spanish). Outside of Mexico, you can find the leaves at any Latin American supermarket or ask your local supermarket if they carry the product. You can buy whole leaves with or without thorns and you can buy them precut in a bag.

The nopales taste lemony, fresh and delicious. They compliment any fish, poultry or meat dish and can be part of a vegan or vegetarian meal.

Ingredients:
6 to 7 whole cactus leaves, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
-OR-
One bag precut cactus leaves (bag weighs 1 to 1.5 pounds)
1 whole yellow or white onion, peeled & cut in half
3 whole cloves garlic, peeled
4 to 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup finely-chopped red onion
1/2 cup corn kernels (optional)
1/4 cup finely-chopped sun-dried tomatoes in oil (drained & optional)
1/3 cup finely-chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon finely-chopped Serrano or Jalapeño pepper (optional)
salt, to taste

Cooking Directions:
1. Using a colander, rinse cut cactus (nopales) leaves very well under cold, running water. The water will turn slimy.

2. Transfer the cut and drained nopales to a 4-quart (saucepot) and cover them in cold water.

3. Add onion and garlic to nopales in saucepot.

4. Bring mixture to a boil – stand watch so as to avoid slimy spillage on stove.

5. Boil nopales mixture for about 3 to 4 minutes or until their color turns light green.

6. Meanwhile, place a colander over a glass bowl or other saucepot in sink (for draining nopales).

7. Drain the nopales in colander and run cold water through them; allow nopales to drain.

8. Once drained, rinse nopales in colander under cold water again. Drain.

9. Remove and discard the boiled onion and garlic.

Preparing the Salad:
1.Transfer cooked and drained nopales to a large glass or porcelain bowl.

2. Stir in the remaining ingredients; taste. If needed, adjust oil, salt and Serrano or Jalapeño pepper levels (you may wish to add more).

3. Enjoy Cactus Leaf Salad (Ensalada de Nopales) as a side dish, as stated above.
Text & Photograph ©2025 Nancy DeLucia Real

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Prep time: 10 to 15 minutes
Grill time: 16 to 18 minutes
Serves: 4 to 6, as a side dish

These summer vegetables are easy to make. Just place them on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt – the oven does the rest! Enjoy these grilled veggies as a side dish or stir them (cut up) into a green salad or pasta!

Ingredients & Supplies:
One extra large or two 18 X 12-inch baking sheets, lined with aluminum foil (opaque side up)
Vegetable oil, for coating lined baking sheets
1 red bell pepper, cut in half (seeds & stem discarded)
1 large carrot, peeled
4 pattypan squashes (they look like flying saucers), tips discarded and each cut in half to make 8 rounds
1 red onion, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch thick rounds
2 Italian eggplants (they are small and curved)
3 to 4 fingerling potatoes or other small variety
Olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Fresh parsley sprigs, for garnish

Directions:
1. Place the bell pepper halves, round side up, on lined baking sheet. If using two sheets, as you go along, you will divide vegetables in half among both sheets.

2. Cut the carrot in half, crosswise; then, cut it in half, lengthwise.

3. Next, place the cut squashes, flesh side up, next to bell peppers.

4. Place red onion slices on baking sheet; set the sheet aside as you follow the next instruction.

5. Cut and discard eggplant tips.

6. Cut eggplants, lengthwise, into 1/4-inch thick slices, and place them on baking sheet.

7. Cut the potatoes in half, lengthwise, and place them on baking sheet.

8. Lightly drizzle olive oil over all vegetables, except for the bell pepper.

9. Then, sprinkle all vegetables with salt, to taste.

Grilling the Vegetables:

1. Place oven rack on upper third of oven, about 5-6 inches away from top of oven .

2. Set oven controls on broil (this means the element at stove top will turn red & grill the veggies).

3. If you have double ovens and are using two baking sheets, set both ovens to broil, as stated above.

4. If you’re using one oven, place one baking sheet on upper rack and broil vegetables for 8 to 9 minutes per side.

5. Next, remove baking sheet from oven and set on a trivet.

6. If using two baking sheets and one oven, repeat above grilling instructions with remaining half of vegetables on second sheet.

7. When vegetables have been grilled, transfer them to a serving platter.

8. Sprinkle grilled vegetables with ground black pepper, to taste. Garnish with parsley sprigs and serve immediately.

9. Alternatively, the grilled vegetable platter can be covered with aluminum foil and set aside at room temperature for up to 4 hours.

10. Leftover grilled vegetables can be stored in refrigerator, tightly-sealed, for up to one day. They can be cut up and added to a green salad or stirred into cooked pasta (short variety).

11. When stirring cut-up vegetables into cooked and drained pasta, add some olive oil, to taste.

12. Serve grilled vegetable pasta with freshly-grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese.
Text & Photograph ©2025 Nancy DeLucia Real

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Prep time: 10 minutes
Serves: 2

For those of us who avoid carbs and need to “pretend” we’re eating pasta, this recipe featuring zucchini as the pasta works really well. You can pair it with your favorite sauce. Mine is Bolognese (featured in photograph). As you enjoy this dish, you forget it’s not pasta!

Ingredients:

1 package (8 to 10 ounces) fresh zucchini, precut into spirals
Your favorite pasta sauce
Grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese
Crushed, dried pepperoncino

Directions:
1. Bring a 4-cup saucepot of water to a boil.

2. Add zucchini and boil for about 2 to 3 minutes (taste zucchini after 2 minutes to check doneness).

3. Drain zucchini and return it to the saucepot.

4. Add sauce, stir and serve.
Text & Photograph ©2024 Nancy DeLucia Real

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Prep time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4

Aside from serving watermelon as a fruit course, you can use it in a salad. This Watermelon, Beet & Mint Salad goes alongside meat, fish, vegetarian or vegan recipes. Its flavors are refreshing and complement savory and/or spicy dishes. Enjoy this salad all summer!

Ingredients:

4 cups fresh watermelon, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
3 pink or yellow beets, precooked* and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1/2 cup thinly-sliced red onion
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup slivered fresh mint leaves (this is done by holding multiple leaves in hands and using shears to cut thin slivers)

Directions:

1. In a 3-quart mixing bowl, combine the watermelon and beet cubes with the red onion slices.

2. Gently stir in the olive oil, Dijon mustard, salt and ground black pepper.

3. Taste and adjust seasonings. If you wish, add 1 to 2 more tablespoons olive oil.

4. Stir in 1/4 cup slivered mint leaves.

5. Transfer the salad to a serving bowl; cover with plastic wrap and set aside on counter until ready to serve (up to 5 hours).

6. At serving time, give the salad a stir (oil will have settled at bottom) and garnish with remaining slivered mint leaves.

*TO PRECOOK BEETS:
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Cut off beet ends, peel beets and wrap each one in aluminum foil.
3. Set them on bottom oven rack.
4. Bake beets for 25 to 30 minutes or until a knife inserts easily into one beet.
5. Cool beets on a plate. Use as directed in this recipe.

Text & Photograph ©2024 Nancy DeLucia Real