* Beets: You can either buy cooked, peeled beets or prepare them yourself. To do so, either steam or roast. To roast, place washed and scrubbed beets in a small baking dish and add water to come ½ inch up the sides of the beets. Cover with aluminum foil and place in a 375 degree oven. Bake until very tender, 45 to 60 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. 
Peel the beets and roughly chop, discarding the skins. To steam, peel and wash the beets. Cut into chunks and steam on the stovetop until tender.