3 large beets, roots intact but tops trimmed off
salt

Pesto
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cups packed fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons packed fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted
1/8 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
salt

Finishing
salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons loosely packed fresh mint leaves, julienned or minced
2 tablespoon fresh-leaf parsley leaves, julienned or minced

For the salad

1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Salt the water, then add the beets and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, or until fork-tender. Alternately, you can cook the beets in a pressure cooker under high pressure for 15-20 minutes with a cup of water added. Let naturally pressure release for 5 minutes, then manual release the rest of the steam.
2. Drain the beets and rinse under cold water, using your fingers to rub off the skins off. Set the beets aside and let cool.
3. In a food processor, combine the garlic, parsley, mint, pepitas, olive oil, and lemon juice. Pulse until very well combined. Season with salt. If the pesto is too thick, add water a tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
4. Slice the beet into rounds or wedges, place on a platter, and lightly season with salt. Drizzle the beets with the pesto and olive oil, then sprinkle with the mint and parsley leaves. Serve immediately, or refrigerate and serve chilled.

**optional substitutions:
substitute cilantro for part of the parsley in the pesto or finishing herbs;
swap out toasted sesame oil for the olive oil drizzle