Beetroots
A vegetable that is valued for its vibrant colour, flesh, firm and sweet, earthy flavour.
Flexible ingredient with many nutritional benefits.
- It is able to provide you with vital antioxidants, vitamins and other minerals that could enhance heart health.
- Studies have found that consuming beetroot juice can help lower blood pressure.
- It can help the nerves and muscles to function properly. It is also a good source of the vital minerals calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, sodium, zinc, copper and selenium.
- Adding beetroot or juice to your diet can have a positive effect on cholesterol levels. A 2011 study in rats found that beetroot extract lowered total cholesterol and triglycerides while increasing good HDL cholesterol. It is believed that this is due to its phytonutrients, including flavonoids.
- Beetroot contains pigments called betalins, which can have anti-inflammatory properties, possibly helping in conditions such as osteoarthritis.
- The nitrates in the juice can help increase blood flow to the brain and slow down dementia.
Beetroot offers us:
Water
Amino acids
Folic acid
Carbohydrates
Antioxidants such as flavonoids and carotenoids
Soluble and insoluble fibers
Vitamins A, B and C.
Metals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorus and sodium
Natural sugars
Baked beets with garlic
Fresh beetroot granita and natural lemon juice
We can also use it in sweet preparations such as refreshing sorbets, fresh juices, cakes .. For those who do not like beets, you may need to give them a second chance.
Savory pancakes with beetroot, cream cheese and apple
When buying fresh beetroot, look for firm beets with smooth, un-damaged skin. Try to pick beetroots of similar sizes so they cook evenly. If possible, buy beetroot with the leaves and roots still attached.
The leaves should be cooked within one to two days of purchase while the beets can be kept in the fridge for up to two weeks. The leaves can then be used in exactly the same way as chard or spinach.
The most common ways to cook fresh beetroot are to roast or boil it whole.
Before cooking, wash the beets thoroughly being careful not to tear the skin. Either, the colour will bleed out while cooking.
The best way to tell whether beetroot is cooked is to insert a sharp knife into the flesh – it should slide in easily. When cool enough to handle, remove the skin by rubbing it gently with your fingers. If you want to avoid staining your fingers, wear rubber gloves or clean them with lemon juice afterwards.
We can use the roots raw in salads, grated on the grater like carrot.
Beetroot is extremely versatile but its earthy sweetness pairs particularly well with smoked fish, goat’s cheese, blue cheese and steak.
Beetroot and green apple soup
Dip with beetroot
Beetroot pesto for pasta
We can make playful pink crepes using ground beetroot in the mixture. Make muffins, truffles with chocolate and nuts, pasta pesto, juicy burger with beetroot and much more.
