Beetroot
Beetroot is not everyone’s favourite vegetable, but it’s worth trying to get to like it as it’s a superfood, containing high levels of folic acid plus B vitamins and minerals, including iron and potassium. A quick web search reveals it as a cure for almost everything, including acting as an aphrodisiac! We can take all that with a pinch of salt, but it certainly is worth eating. The tender leaves of beetroot can also be eaten like chard or spinach.
Easy Roasted beetroot
Beetroot [raw] peeled and cu
t in large chunks
Onions cut in quarters
A few cloves of garlic – no need to peel
Thyme
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar (optional)
Roasting veg is the simple lazy way to cook dinner. I haven’t put in quantities – it really is up to you. A selection of veg bunged in a fairly hot oven for an hour or so alongside some jacket potatoes makes a good meal, especially if you have some salad and cheese to go with it. Simply mix all the ingredients in a roasting pan and put in the oven. Cook for an hour or so. You don’t even have to chop the thyme, just fish out the branches before serving. Balsamic vinegar adds a sweet and sour flavour, but the beetroot is great without it.
Beetroot with sour cream and cheese
Even people who don’t like hot beetroot like this dish. It must be the sour cream and cheese! It’s also very easy to do. Cut cooked beetroot into slices, put in a baking dish. Drizzle with sour cream and sprinkle grated cheese on top. Bake in a medium oven until cheese is bubbly. Use Parmesan cheese if you can afford it, but Cheddar will be fine.
Pickled beetroot
Simply find a clean jar, cut up your beetroot into rings or chunks, according to your taste, and pour over enough vinegar to cover it. Malt, white or cider vinegar are all good.
Mild beetroot salad with thyme
If you’re used to beetroot only tasting of vinegar, you might prefer it this way. Cut cooked beetroot into small dice. Mix with plenty of chopped fresh thyme, olive or sunflower oil and salt and pepper to taste.
Raw beetroot salad
Raw beetroot, finely grated and mixed with a salad dressing is delicious. You could also mix it with equal quantities of grated carrot.
Home remedies?
Just for fun here are a few remedies using beetroot juice:
Constipation: The cellulose content helps to ease bowel movements. Drinking beets juice regularly will help relieve chronic constipation.
Dandruff: Mix a little vinegar to a small cup of beets juice. Massage it into the scalp with your fingertips and leave on for about an hour, then rinse. Do this daily till dandruff clears up. Warning: you will smell awful during this hour!
Detoxification: The chlorine from this wonderful juice detoxifies not only the liver, but also the entire system of excessive alcohol abuse, provided consumption is ceased.
Reminder about Preparing Beetroot
Scrub off any loose soil, and twist off tops. Don’t cut tops or roots or the beetroot will lose its colour. You can either boil or bake beetroot. Cook with the skins on in plenty of boiling water. Allow about half an hour for small, an hour for medium sized beetroot – a pressure cooker cuts down cooking time. Or bake in the oven for 40 mins to 1 hour. To test if they’re done, push the skin – it will start to peel off if they’re ready. Plunge into cold water and peel while still warm – the skins should just slip off.
If you've got any recipe suggestions, please contact Judy Steele.