As a kid, I thought that beets were the coolest vegetable on the planet. Round, plump and reddish-purple, they possessed a sweet taste and soft, silky texture that I adored. Sweet AND purple! Who wouldn’t love that quirky vegetable? Today I appreciate these low calorie root veggies not only for their color and taste but also for their versatility. With beets you can cook the leaves as well as the roots. Just steam or saute the greens in garlic and olive oil for a warm salad or side dish. Roast, boil or steam the roots for sides or soups. One vegetable. Multiple recipes and techniques. Cultivated since 300 B.C., beets are descendants of a wild seashore plant known as the sea beet. This plant grows in clumps along the Mediterranean and Atlantic coastlines of North Africa and Europe. Unlike its offspring, which can be as small as an orange or as large as a grapefruit, it has a small, skinny root. Thin or fat, beet roots have long been used in salads and soups. Seventeenth …