This is week two of the 5th Annual Dark Days Challenge, a 4 1/2 month pledge by participants to eat one SOLE meal a week: a meal as Sustainable, Organic, Local and Ethical as possible.  Weekly participant recaps are being rounded up by the good people at Not Dabbling in Normal.

This week, we’ve been overrun with beet greens.  They’re good in a salad and as wraps — two things that my daughter has no interest in these days.

Instead, I’ve been using them in items Nina is guaranteed to sample: pesto and smoothies.

We’ve had enough cold nights that these leaves are even sweeter than usual, with a chard-like flavor and leaves as tender as micro greens.

With a head of garlic from the garden, a small glug of best-quality olive oil, Maldon sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, this pesto is ready before your pasta is finished boiling.

To give this pesto a hint of creaminess, cut back on the oil and add a tablespoon or two of your pasta water, just before draining.  All of that starch works wonders for texture.

Breakfast smoothie: this one contained a handful of berries frozen at their summer peak, green (not purple) beet leaves, alt milk and a dash of local maple syrup we picked up during our annual summer trip to the Soo.

And for the grownups of the house: beautiful beets, simply roasted.