Grate It Up

1. Scrub the beets under running water to remove dirt and debris. Cut off the root ends and the tops, including the greens. The beet tops taste similar to chard when steamed, and can be reserved for another use.

2. Peel the beets with a sharp paring knife.

3. Plug in a food processor. Cut the beets into quarters chunks small enough to fit in the feed tube of the food processor. Grate the beets until they're nicely shredded.

4. Heat a bit of cooking oil in the saute pan over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers. Add the beets. Saute the beets for 3 to 4 minutes. Work in batches if you're cooking a lot of beets.

Magically Microwaved

1. Scrub the beets but don't peel them. You can leave an inch of stems and root if you like.

2. Place the beets in a microwave-safe dish with a good splash of water in the bottom.

3. Microwave for 2 to 4 minutes per beet. For example, if you have 4 small beets microwave for a total of 8 minutes before checking, turning the beets over at the halfway point.

4. Remove the beets when they can be pierced with a fork but offer some resistance. When the beets have cooled enough to handle, cut off the root end and slip off the skins. They should glide off without a problem.