Beet Recipes

While some recipes may be categorised as difficult for some people, for others they might be their daily bread and butter. When it comes to beet – the same rule applies as beet recipes are distinct and varied in their own way.

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Garden Fresh Green Salad
with a twist

• Green Leafy Lettuce
• Choice of salad Veggies – Cucumber/Baby Corn/Corn
• Beetroot (cut into cubes) – 3/4th medium beetroot
• Lemon Juice – 10ml
• Olive Oil – 30ml
• Beetroot crushed – remaining 1/4
• Salt and Pepper – to taste
• Sesame Seeds – to garnish

1. Consider a lemon vinaigrette without the dijon , but with a twist – with a different color.
2. In a bowl, whisk together crushed beetroot, olive oil, lemon juice, salt & pepper to make a great tasting vinaigrette.
3. Cut all veggies into cubes for the salad, and wash the lettuce in cold water.
4. In a large bowl , toss all the ingredients together and garnish with sesame seeds.
5. Optional – You can also add Feta cheese, Beetroot microgreens and /or fruits such as Granny Smith Apples, or Orange slices.

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Beet Kanji Or Beet Probiotic
A delicious fermented Indian beverage to better your gut!

• Mustard Seeds – 1 Tbsp
• Red Carrots (peeled & cubed) – 4-5 no.
• Large Beet (peeled & cubed) – 1 no.
• Water – 6-7 cups
• Salt – 1 Tbsp

1. Crush the mustard seeds in a mortar pestle or a coffee grinder (it’s okay if they’re coarsely ground).
2. Chop the carrots and beet into long pieces.
3. Combine all the ingredients in a glass jar (I use a half-gallon mason jar) and cover with a lid or cheesecloth.
4. Let the jar sit in a sunny spot for at least one week – stirring with a wooden spoon daily.
5. Once the kanji develops a tangy flavor, that means the drink is fermented.
6. Strain the drink, save the pickles to enjoy later.
7. Put the drink in the refrigerator to chill.

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These are some easy recipes, some which can be repeated and enjoyed at the comfort of your home. While some recipes require the beets to be uncooked, fresh and in their raw form – “Borscht“, a soup originated in the Ukraine is a meaty dish which is colored a deep red with beets in a cooked manner.

Beetroots or Beets are one of those culinary treasures which can also be used as a coloring agent which allows the vegetable to be used in recipes such as risotto, bread and other doughs and also as a fusion or just to have a different outlook on a boring vegetable.

Recipes can be changed or twisted in a way which allows you to have a better looking or a better tasting final product such as :

• Beet Breads – Made by adding beet juice, crushed beet in to the bread dough by replacing similar amount of water. Amount of beet added to the dough may vary between 50 – 100gm
• Beet Used in Red Velvet cake – A dark red colored sponge made using beets layered with buttercream.
• Beet Flat Breads – Similar to the breads made with fermented dough, beets are a natural red food coloring which can be used as a water replacement in many doughs
• Beet Tortillas
• Beet Risotto – Used as a addition to the sauce in its crushed form, beets can also be added to the risotto to give it a different visual appeal.
• Beet Pasta sauce or even the Pasta dough itself

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LENTIL AND BEETROOT VEGGIE BURGERS

Ingredients (makes 6-7 burgers)

• 300 g raw grated beetroots
• 250 g brown lentils or 200 g red split lentils (previously cooked – no water left)
• approx. 40 g rolled oats (use certified gluten-free oats if necessary)
• 2-3 tbsp whole grain flour (adjust the amount of flour based on the water content of your ingredients – you can use any kind of flour)
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tbsp almond butter (even better if it’s a crunchy nut butter)
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• a pinch of cayenne pepper
• a pinch of salt

Place the lentils, oats, and oil in a blender and break them down into smaller pieces: you can decide if you prefer a more homogeneous result or if you like to keep some bigger pieces in there. In a bowl, combine together this mix, the grated beetroots, and all the other ingredients.

Using a bit of oil on your hands, prepare the burgers and cook them in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil or in a pre-heated oven at 180°C for approx. 10-5 minutes or until they start to turn darker and they will be firm on the outside. Don’t overcook these burgers because they tend to become dry quite easily.

Also, a huge appreciative thanks to “Amatterofnourishment” for both the recipe as well as the image & for inspiring others to be healthy and be aware of what they eat !