Hard to Beet
This week’s post is a special collaboration with the lovely Laura Iu from @dowhatiulove at www.dowhatiulove.com. She took care of the Stir on the East Coast while I did the Style here on the West Coast. Laura is currently working toward becoming a Registered Dietician in New York City. She has in-depth experience in the nutrition world ranging from cooking and food-styling healthy dishes seen on Fox news to working in the back of kitchens at Chelsea Market. New York City is truly one of my favorite places to eat. Laura is a lucky girl to be able to explore such a culturally rich and delicious city in her quest for nutrition.
I’ll go ahead and assume that most of you don’t eat beets often (please correct me if I’m wrong). I used to only really eat them boiled or roasted in salads, but I’ll admit, they require a lot of work and things can get a bit messy. However, lately, after reading more about how beneficial beets are for my health, I’ve been trying to think of ways to incorporate beets into my diet. Not only are they vibrant in color (perfect for matching with outfits), but they’re extremely nutritious. Beets lower blood pressure, boost your endurance, promote detox, have anti-cancer properties, fight inflammation, and are rich in fiber and vitamins.
One great and simple way to get the complete benefits of beets is to juice them or put them in smoothies. This way, they don’t lose any of their nutrients. Don’t forget to add the greens on top of the beets too. In order to get that great purple color to match my dress, Laura created this beautiful beet smoothie. Here’s a quick peak at her recipe, but be sure to check out her page to read more:
½ cup raw beet root (washed and peeled)
½ cup blueberries
½ cup frozen pineapple
1 small banana
1 tsp chia seeds
1 tsp flax seeds
1 cup water
Combine all ingredients in a blender (I have a NutriBullet and love it) and add more or less liquid for your desired consistency. Naturally bright foods are my favorite to pair with outfits, but I also know they’re the healthiest.
The splashes and layers of color in Laura’s smoothie perfectly mirror the pattern on my Roberta dress (similar here and here). This dress is flowy on the bottom, which moves with you as you walk. This is a hi-low hem dress where it is shorter in the front and long in the back. It’s perfect for a dinner party or for a wedding. I’ve paired this dress with my favorite strappy sandals from Calvin Klein in black snake (also featured in my Bacon of the Sea post). I can wear these anywhere I go and not only will they match any outfit, but they’re so comfortable that my feet never complain. I kept it simple with my accessories. Just my go-to classic Tiffany & Co. bracelets- Heart Tag Charm Bracelet and Open Heart Bangle. I have an obsession with Tiffany’s open heart collection. They can be worn casually everyday but also work to compliment a formal ensemble.
Please feel free to email me or contact me with any other ways to incorporate beets into your diet, any questions you have, or any outfit/recipe ideas. Also don’t forget to follow Laura on Instagram @dowhatiulove, she has great photos and nutrition tips. Thanks for reading!