Vegetarian Borscht

When the colder temperatures hit this month, all I wanted to eat for dinner was a big bowl of comforting soup with fresh bread.

Since I had a huge head of green cabbage sitting in my fridge and local beets are in season, I figured this was the perfect opportunity to try my hand at a soup I've always wanted to make - borscht!

Rather than sticking with a traditional borscht, I made more of a vegetable stew with beets, potatoes, carrot, cabbage, and cauliflower. And since I was using a vegetable broth instead of beef broth, I tried to make it extra flavourful by cooking some onion, garlic and ginger first, and adding lots of spices and herbs like caraway, cumin, coriander, thyme, and bay leaves.

A bit of plain yogurt or sour cream works perfectly as a topping for this soup, and if I had some fresh dill, I would have added that as a garnish as well. 

For a healthy broth-based vegetable soup, I thought this was actually really tasty and I didn't mind eating it for both lunch and dinner several days in a row, since it made such a big batch! Plus, how can you not enjoy eating something with such a pretty colour!

Vegetarian Borscht
Adapted from Canadian Living 

1 tbsp oil or butter (I used Earth Balance coconut spread)

1 yellow onion, peeled and diced

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1” piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced

1 tsp caraway seeds

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp dried thyme

3 small yellow potatoes (about 1 lb), peeled and diced

1 large carrot, peeled and diced

1.5 lbs beets (I used three large ones), stems removed, peeled and diced

1/2 head of cauliflower, chopped

5 cups shredded green cabbage

1.5 tsp salt

Ground pepper

4 cups low sodium vegetable broth (1 container)

4 cups water

2 bay leaves

1 tbsp agave nectar

3 tbsp white vinegar

Plain yogurt or sour cream for serving (optional)

Fresh dill for serving (optional)

Heat a large pot over medium heat and add the oil or butter. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, caraway, cumin, coriander, and thyme. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 4 minutes (until the onion begins to soften).

Add the potatoes, carrot, beets, cauliflower, cabbage, salt, and some freshly ground pepper to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. Then add the vegetable stock, water, and bay leaves and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium low, partially cover with a lid, and simmer for 30-40 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender.

Remove pot from heat. Discard the bay leaves and stir in the agave and vinegar. Serve hot, topped with plain yogurt and a handful of chopped fresh dill if desired. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired.

Makes 6-8 servings

Roasted Beet, Carrot & Lentil Salad

Does anyone else feel like time is going by super quickly lately? I can't believe it's already near the end of March and I've only managed to write two blog posts this month!

Between schoolwork, spending time with family and friends, and going to classes at the gym, I've been keeping pretty busy and focusing less on developing new recipes. Instead, I've been trying more recipes from cookbooks or other blogs, and throwing together quick and easy meals using whatever I have in the fridge and pantry.

Last week, I picked up a can of lentils thinking I could just use them for another easy, throw-together meal. Taking a look at what I had in the fridge to use up though, I got a bit more inspired and came up with this delicious warm lentil and spinach salad topped with roasted beets and carrots.

The base of the salad was still pretty simple - just saute a bit of garlic, add a can of lentils to the pan to warm them up, and add in some baby spinach leaves so that they get slightly wilted. A sprinkle of toasted pumpkin seeds adds a bit of crunch, and a balsamic dressing brings it all together.

For the topping, I roasted some chopped beets and carrots with a bit of dried herbs, and then made a glaze with balsamic vinegar and maple syrup so the roasted veggies end up with a nice sweet and tangy caramelized coating.

This turned out to be one of those meals that seems simple and rustic, but with special touches that make it more memorable, like the boost of flavour from the balsamic vinegar and the sweet candy-like beets and carrots.

I always love warm salads like this one, but I'm excited to start eating more warm-weather meals with fresh veggies too (if the weather ever does warm up that is)!

Roasted Beet, Carrot & Lentil Salad

Partly adapted from Barbara Cooks

For the roasted veggies:

3 small beets, peeled and diced (about 1-1.5 cups)

2 large carrots, peeled and diced

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp dried herbs (I used a mix of dried parsley and thyme)

Salt and pepper

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp pure maple syrup

For the salad:

2 tbsp pumpkin seeds

1/2 tsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 can lentils, drained and rinsed

~3 cups (packed) baby spinach leaves

Dressing:

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tsp pure maple syrup

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Toss the beets and carrots with 1 tsp olive oil, the herbs, and some salt and pepper, then place on the foil-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Roast in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, tossing once halfway through.

Meanwhile, start preparing the salad: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pumpkin seeds and toast for a few minutes, until they start to pop. Transfer pumpkin seeds to a small bowl. Add olive oil to the pan, then add the garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds, until it starts to brown. Add the lentils to the pan, season with salt and pepper, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Let cook for a few minutes, stirring often, until the lentils are heated through. Transfer lentils to a large bowl and add the toasted pumpkin seeds and the spinach leaves.

You can keep the pan heated on the stovetop because you will use it to glaze the veggies. When the beets and carrots are done cooking, add them to the pan over medium heat with the balsamic vinegar and maple syrup. Let cook, stirring often, until the liquid is almost gone. Remove from heat.

Prepare the dressing by whisking all ingredients together in a small bowl. Pour dressing over the lentil-spinach mixture in the bowl and toss to mix. Divide salad onto plates and top with the glazed beets and carrots. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired.  Serve warm.

Makes 2 main servings, or more as a side dish

Beet Crust Pizza

One of my favourite traditions on Friday nights is to have pizza for dinner, whether its homemade or delivery.  This week, I have a different type of pizza to share with you - a beet and sunflower seed crust pizza, topped with hummus, beet greens and parsley.

It may sound and look a bit unusual for a pizza, but it actually turned out really good!  I would have been skeptical of the idea myself, but my sister was the one who found the recipe and tried it out first, so I knew from her recommendation that I would like it!

The recipe for the crust comes from Brendan Brazier, author of The Thrive Diet. There is no flour in the crust, making this a good option for people on a gluten-free diet.  Instead, it's made up of a mixture of ground sunflower seeds and raw beets, with some garlic and parsley thrown in for extra flavour. All the ingredients are combined in a food processor to form a sticky dough, then baked in the oven. The result was a slightly sweet pizza crust with a nice texture - crispy on the outside and soft in the middle.

For the rest of the pizza, I went with a simple hummus as the sauce, topped with some reduced balsamic vinegar, cooked beet greens and more parsley. I loved the combination of hummus with the beet-flavoured crust, but feel free to use your own favourite pizza toppings!

Beet Crust Pizza with Hummus and Beet Greens
Crust recipe adapted from Brendan Brazier, as seen here

Crust:

1 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup grated raw beet

2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley

1/2 clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp coconut oil

Pinch of kosher salt

Pizza:

About 2 cups chopped beet greens
3-4 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup hummus
Fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 300°.

Place the sunflower seeds in a food processor and process until finely ground. Add the remaining ingredients for the crust and process until the mixture forms a sticky ball.

Spread the mixture onto a well-greased baking sheet. Use a spatula to form a circle about ¼” thick. Pinch the edges to form a crust.

Place in preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes.

While the crust is baking, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the chopped beet greens and boil for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon and immediately dunk in a large bowl filled with ice water.  Once cool, drain the beet greens and dry with towels.

Next, make a balsamic reduction by simmering the balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, until it has reduced to about one-third of the original amount.

When the crust is done, remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes.

Spread the hummus on top of the crust, then drizzle with the balsamic reduction. Top with beet greens.

Place pizza back in the oven for an additional 20 minutes.

Remove and let cool before eating. Top with fresh parsley if desired. (Note: The crust is fairly delicate - mine still held together well enough to pick up the pieces by hand, but you might find it easier to eat with a knife and fork!)

Makes 1 small pizza (4 slices).

This was submitted to Wellness Weekend at Diet, Dessert & Dogs.

Morning Glory Muffins

I hope you're not sick of seeing beet recipes on my blog yet, because I've got another one for you today!

I've always thought that beets and carrots make a good combination, and I figured if carrots can be added to baked goods like loaves and muffins, then why not beets?  So I set out to create a hearty muffin full of fruits, veggies and other healthy ingredients.  There were too many different ingredients in these muffins to come up with a concise name, so I'm just calling them morning glory muffins (although I'm not exactly sure what qualifies muffins as morning glory)!

I was worried that these muffins would turn out to be a disaster, and I still wasn't sure about them when I took a bite after taking them out of the oven....but I guess they just needed some more time to sit and cool because I loved them once I tried one the next morning!

The beets gave the muffins a pinkish tint, but their taste didn't overpower the rest of the ingredients. I really liked the combination of beets, carrots and apple, and I loved how every bite was full of different textures.

The ingredients list may look long, but you can customize these based on what you have on hand....for example, if you don't like beets just substitute more carrots, and if you're not a fan of raisins then you can leave them out too.

My only complaint about these muffins is that they didn't rise much in the oven, so they were a bit flat.  These are definitely not the light, sweet cakey type of muffin, but if you like a more dense, hearty muffin then these are for you!

Morning Glory Muffins
Inspired by various recipes like these muffins from Sweet Savory Planet

1/2 cup spelt flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground ginger

2 tbsp brown sugar

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut

1 tbsp golden flax seeds (optional)

1 tbsp wheat bran or wheat germ (optional)

2 tbsp raisins

2 tbsp chopped walnuts

1/2 cup grated carrot

1/2 cup grated beet

1/2 a small apple, finely diced

1/2 a ripe banana

1.5 tbsp melted coconut oil

2 tbsp unsweetened almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)

2 tbsp orange juice

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp ground flax

Preheat the oven to 375° and prepare a muffin pan with paper liners.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices in a large bowl. Add the brown sguar, oats, coconut, flax seeds, wheat bran, raisins and walnuts and stir to combine. Next, add the shredded carrot, beet and apple to the bowl and stir until they are coated with the dry ingredients.

In a separate small bowl, mash the banana. Add all the remaining ingredients and stir well to mix.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until all the dry ingredients are incorporated.

Divide the batter into the muffin cups, filling each one about three-quarters of the way full. Bake for 23-26 minutes, until the muffins are set and a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool completely on a wire rack.

Makes 8 small muffins.

Raw Beet Cheesecake for Two

On Monday, I shared a recipe for beet pasta and I told you that I had a Valentine's dessert with beets coming up soon.  Well, I'm happy to say that you don't have to wait any longer!

I'm so excited to finally share this recipe that I made almost a month ago.  I came up with the idea when Cara of Fork and Beans announced a Valentine's Bake-Off Contest.

The rules for the contest were to create an original recipe for a vegan and gluten-free Valentine's Day dessert, and my mind immediately turned to beets! I like the idea of using natural ingredients to create vibrant colours in food instead of using food dye, and beets seemed like the perfect thing to make a pretty pink Valentine's dessert.

Since I don't have much experience in gluten-free baking, I thought that a raw dessert might be the best way to go.  I've tried a couple versions of raw "cheesecakes" where the filling is made of blended cashews, so I wanted to take that idea and create a version using beets.

For the crust, I used a mixture of almonds and dates, although another nut like walnuts or pecans would also work. I also added some cacao nibs to give the crust a slight chocolate-y taste, and I thought the hint of cacao went perfectly with the beet filling.

I was a bit nervous to taste the filling, but it turned out just how I was hoping! The beets added a nice sweetness without tasting too "beet-y", and they combined really well with the cashews to create the cheesecake taste that I wanted.

The final touch to make this dessert extra special for Valentine's Day was to make a garnish shaped like hearts....and what better way to make them than with more beets! I followed Martha Stewart's method for making candied beets and cut them into heart shapes to place on top of the finished cake.

Since I was just making this for myself, I used my miniature cake pan to make a small cheesecake.  Although I ate most of the cake myself, it ended up being the perfect size for two people to share!

Personally, I would choose this raw beet cheesecake over any other indulgent or chocolatey dessert for Valentine's Day, but I realize that most people probably don't share my tastes.  You definitely won't fool anyone into thinking this is a rich cheesecake, but if you want a healthy dessert that still tastes good then I hope you'll give this recipe a try!

And be sure to check out all the other submissions to the Fork and Beans contest for more Valentine's Day dessert ideas!

Miniature Raw Beet Cheesecake

Inspired by various other raw cheesecake recipes

Crust:

1/4 cup raw almonds

1/4 cup chopped pitted dates

1 tbsp raw cacao nibs

Pinch of kosher salt

Filling:

1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked in water for at least 4 hours

1/2 cup raw grated beet

2.5 tbsp melted coconut oil

2.5 tbsp agave syrup

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Juice of half a lemon

Candied beet hearts for garnish (recipe below)

To make the crust:

Place the almonds in a food processor and process until they are finely chopped. Add the dates, cacao nibs and salt and continue to process until the dates are broken down and the mixture sticks together.

Transfer the crust to the bottom of a round mini cake pan (I used a 4-inch wide, 2-inch deep pan with a removable bottom) and press down firmly, making sure it is evenly spread.  Store the crust in the fridge while you make the filling.

To make the filling:

Drain the cashews and place in the food processor. Add the remaining filling ingredients and process until completely smooth. Pour the filling on top of the crust in the cake pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Place in the fridge or freezer for 1-2 hours to firm up. Once it is set, carefully remove from the pan and garnish with candied beet hearts.

If you have leftovers, store in the fridge or freezer (if stored in the freezer, let it thaw at room temperature before serving).

Candied Beet Hearts:

Adapted from Martha Stewart 

1 medium sized beet, peeled (you won't need all of it)

1/2 cup water

1/4 sugar

Preheat oven to 250°.


Slice the beet very thinly - four or five slices will be enough, depending on how many pieces you want to make. Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut hearts out of each slice (you can try a couple different sized cookie cutters).

Bring the water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the sliced beets, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 30 minutes (the syrup will reduce and become thick and sticky).

Remove beets from the pot with a slotted spoon and place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour, until the beets have dried (they may need an extra 15 minutes or so). Store in a container at room temperature.

This has also been submitted to Wellness Weekends at Diet, Dessert & Dogs.

Pretty in Pink Pasta (aka Beet Pasta)

Now that Super Bowl is over, it's time to post some Valentine's recipes!

Valentine's Day doesn't really have much significance for me, but I still like to celebrate it by watching romantic movies (hence the title of this post) and making treats to fit the holiday theme!  This year, I made two recipes (a dinner and dessert) that both feature a secret ingredient to make them a beautiful Valentine's pink ... beets!

For my dinner recipe, I made this pasta with a colourful beet sauce.  The beets are first roasted in the oven and then pureed with yogurt, lemon, garlic and spices to make a creamy and flavorful coating for the noodles. I also added some toasted pine nuts and fresh parsley on top of my pasta, which I thought made it more special and enhanced the presentation factor, but you can leave the pine nuts out for a more budget-friendly dish.

Since I love beets in any form, especially the flavor of roasted beets, it was no surprise that I loved this pasta! But if you do decide to make this for someone special, make sure they're a fan of beets first because they are definitely the star of this dish!

Stay tuned later this week for my Valentine's dessert with beets!

Beet Pasta
Adapted from Moderate Oven

4-5 oz dried pasta - wide noodles like fettucine or pappardelle work best (make sure they are egg-free for a vegan dish - I used durum wheat ribbons in parsley-garlic flavour)

2 medium beets

1 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/4 cup low-fat plain yogurt (or soy yogurt)

1/2 tsp cumin

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Salt and pepper

2-3 tbsp pine nuts

about 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley for garnishing

First, roast the beets. Wrap whole beets in tin foil and place on a baking sheet. Cook in the oven at 400° for about 60 minutes, until they are tender. When the beets are done roasting, peel and slice off the ends. Cut into quarters, then place in a blender.

In a small skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, until lightly browned. Transfer the contents of the skillet to the blender with the beets.  Add the lemon juice, yogurt, cumin, cayenne, and a pinch of salt and pepper to the blender.  Puree until you have a smooth sauce. 


Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.

Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet for a few minutes, until they are lightly browned and fragrant.

To serve, toss the cooked pasta with the beet sauce.  If the sauce and pasta have already cooled, you can heat a large skillet on the stove, then toss the pasta and sauce together in the skillet and heat until warm.  Top with toasted pine nuts and fresh parsley.

Makes 2 servings. 

Roasted Squash, Beet & Chestnut Salad with Warm Walnut Dressing

Lately, I've been eating a lot of one of my favourite vegetables - beets! I've been using them in a variety of ways - raw and roasted, sweet and savory...so you can expect to see at least a few beet recipes here in the near future!

One of the recipes I made with all my beets was this warm winter salad full of roasted veggies with toasted pecans and chestnuts, all tossed in a creamy walnut dressing over mixed greens. It was so good that I ate it for dinner three nights in a row and then I was disappointed when it ran out!

The inspiration for this salad started with the roasted chestnuts...after my sister told me about a vegetarian stuffing she made with chestnuts, I couldn't get them off my mind. So I chose a couple other vegetables that I thought would compliment the chestnuts, then looked through my cookbooks for a suitable salad dressing.  I found a recipe in Vegan Planet for a warm dressing made by blending up toasted walnuts and I thought that sounded perfect!

I was a bit worried that I would be disappointed when I tasted everything together, but thankfully the salad lived up to my expectations! I loved the combination of the squash, beets, and chestnuts and the pecans were the perfect addition to complete the salad. But the star of the whole thing was definitely the walnut dressing - the toasted, nutty flavour complimented all the other ingredients so well!

There were a lot of components to this salad to prepare, but the good part is that you can make a big batch of all the vegetables and the dressing one day, and then store each of the components separately in the fridge to get at least a few meals out of them.

Roasted Squash, Beet & Chestnut Salad with Warm Walnut Dressing

Salad:
*I’ve noted the amounts that I used below, which got me about 3 salads, but treat these as guidelines – as long as you follow the same process with the same ingredients, the precise amounts aren’t that important!

2 medium beets, washed

1/2 lb chestnuts in their shells (about 14 chestnuts)
2.5 - 3 cups peeled and diced butternut squash (I used the pre-cut kind)
olive oil

1/3 cup chopped pecans

About 4.5 cups mixed greens (1.5 cups per serving)

Dressing:

Adapted from Vegan Planet

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/3 cup canola oil

3 tbsp orange juice

1/2 tsp sugar

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400°. Scrub beets and wrap them in foil. Place on a baking sheet in the preheated oven and roast for about one hour, until a knife can easily pierce them.

Meanwhile, prepare the chestnuts by scoring an “X” on one side of the shell with a knife (this will allow some steam to escape so they don’t explode in the oven). Place the chestnuts on one side of a large baking sheet, with the cut side facing up.

Toss the squash with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper and spread on the other side of the baking sheet next to the chestnuts. When there is about 25 minutes left in the roasting time for the beets, add the chestnuts and squash to the oven. Roast for 20-25 minutes, until the chestnuts are dark and starting to split open and the squash is tender and starting to brown (you don’t want it to be too soft).

While the vegetables are roasting, prepare the pecans and the walnut dressing: 

Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped pecans and toast for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly toasted and fragrant. Remove from the pan and set aside. 

Add the walnuts to the pan and toast for a few minutes. Reduce heat to low and add the canola oil. Continue to heat on low for about 5 minutes. Stir in the orange juice, sugar, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Remove from heat and transfer to a blender. Puree until smooth, then return dressing to the pan and keep warm over very low heat.

When the vegetables are done, remove from oven and let cool slightly until ready to handle. Trim the ends off the beets and peel off the skin. Slice beets into wedges. Pry the skins off the chestnuts using a knife or your hands and remove the nut from inside. Chop chestnuts into small pieces.

If you are making a single serving of salad, lay the mixed greens on a large plate. Place some of the beets, squash and chestnuts on top of the greens. Sprinkle with some of the chopped pecans. Pour about a third of the dressing (or however much dressing you like) over the salad and gently toss to combine.

Alternately, you could add the full amounts of everything to a large bowl and toss together before serving onto plates.

Makes 3-4 servings.

Roasted Winter Panzanella

This summer, I discovered panzanella - a fresh and simple bread salad - and it became my new favourite summertime meal. Then I tried a roasted summer panzanella and liked that even more than the raw version!

But then summer and its fresh produce faded away, so I sadly said goodbye to my beloved panzanella ... until I started seeing versions of winter panzanella on a few blogs, and became inspired to update my roasted panzanella to suit the new season!

I had a lot of choices for ingredients that I could include in my winter panzanella, but I ended up using brussels sprouts, carrots, beets, potatoes and artichokes. I also kept the grape tomatoes from the original version since I think they are an essential part of panzanella, even though they're no longer seasonal.

I also changed up the herbs by using fresh sage instead of basil, and replaced the white bread with pumpernickel to fit the darker winter theme.

I was so excited to try this salad (if you can even classify it as a salad), and it definitely did not disappoint! I loved the variety of roasted veggies tossed with the sage in a light oil and vinegar dressing, and combined with the toasted pumpernickel and juicy tomatoes. The only thing I wasn't crazy about was the artichokes, so I made the salad again without them and enjoyed it even more that way.

This is a great way to use up leftover roasted veggies and is very adaptable - you could try adding squash, parsnips or rutabagas too! I also left out the cheese this time, but would also taste great with some fresh mozzarella or bocconcini balls.

Roasted Winter Panzanella
Inspired by my previous recipe for Roasted Summer Panzanella

1 medium beet, peeled and diced

2 medium carrots, washed and diced

2 small red potatoes (about 8 oz), washed and diced

6 oz brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

1 tsp dried oregano

About 3/4 cup grape tomatoes, halved

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed

2 thick slices of pumpernickel bread (1-2 cups when cut into pieces)

1 tbsp fresh sage, sliced

2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for roasting

1-2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Toss beets with a splash of olive oil, salt and pepper and spread on a large baking tray. Place in the oven and roast for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the potatoes, carrots and brussel sprouts and toss with more olive oil, salt, pepper, and oregano. Remove beets from oven and add vegetables to the baking pan along with the beets. Return to oven for 35-40 minutes.

Place the grape tomatoes and garlic in a separate baking dish and toss with some olive oil, salt and pepper. Add to oven for the last 15-20 minutes of roasting time.

Place the slices of bread in the oven for the last 5-10 minutes, until lightly toasted (I placed the slices directly on the oven rack). Remove and slice or tear into bite-sized chunks.

To prepare salad, place all vegetables, bread, and sage in a bowl and toss to mix. Drizzle with about 2 tbsp olive oil and 1-2 tbsp balsamic vinegar. Season with more salt and pepper to taste.

Serve warm.

Makes 2 servings. 

Thanksgiving Week - Day 5: Beet-Parsnip Mash with Almond Parmesan

For Day 5 of Thanksgiving Week, I thought I would include a recipe for a side dish to add to your plate. Mashed potatoes are always a popular side dish at Thanksgiving, but when they come loaded with butter and cream and topped with gravy, they are not exactly the healthiest option!

So instead of the usual mashed potatoes, I made a healthier, more colourful, vegan mash out of beets and parsnips, and topped with almond parmesan!

I got the idea from Sweet Beet & Green Bean, who posted a recipe for parsnip puree with almond parmesan.  I really liked the sounds of both components of this dish, but to change it up a bit, I replaced some of the parsnips with beets.

I loved how this turned out! The texture of the mash was nice and creamy and the beets gave it a lot of flavour. Plus the colour was so pretty! But if you don't like beets, you could just replace them with more parsnips as in the original recipe.

My favourite part of this dish was definitely the almond parmesan. I never would have thought of blending almonds with nutritional yeast, but it turned out so well! I loved the cheesy flavour, and it was the perfect topping for the beet-parsnip mash. You can also save the leftovers to use as a topping for other dishes, like pasta or maybe popcorn!

Beet-Parsnip Mash with Almond Parmesan
Adapted from Sweet Beet & Green Bean

1.5 lbs parsnips (or use 2 lbs parsnips and leave out the beets)
1/2 lb beet (about 1 medium beet)
6 cups water
1.5 tsps salt, divided
2-3 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

Peel and chop the parsnips. Trim the ends of the beet but leave it unpeeled.

Bring 6 cups of water with 1 tsp of salt to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the beet and boil on medium-high heat for about 15 minutes. Then add the parsnips to the pot and boil for another 20 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender.

Strain the parsnips and beet. Peel the beet and chop into small pieces.

In a food processor or blender, blend the parsnips and beets with the olive oil, almond milk, and the remaining 1/2 tsp of salt until smooth and creamy. Taste and add more salt if necessary.

Serve warm, topped with a generous amount of almond parmesan (recipe below).

Makes 3-4 cups of mash (6-8 servings).


Almond Parmesan:
1/4 cup raw whole almonds
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/8 tsp kosher salt

Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and grind until the nuts are broken up and the mixture resembles fine crumbs.

Store in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Raw Zucchini Roll-Ups

Yesterday I posted my first version of raw zucchini lasagna - layered stacks of peeled vegetables with cashew cheese and raw tomato sauce.

Then since I still had leftover cashew cheese and tomato sauce the next day, I decided to reconstruct the lasagna into a different form - zucchini roll-ups! I got the idea after seeing some raw zucchini sushi rolls on the blog For the Love of Food.

These were pretty easy and fun to make and I liked that they were more bite sized compared to the lasagna, so they would be a good appetizer to serve!

After trying both versions of my raw zucchini lasagna now, I can't decide which one I liked better!

Raw Zucchini Roll-Ups
Inspired by For the Love of Food

I don't have an exact "recipe" for this, but here is what I did:
(Also, see my raw zucchini lasagna post or the zucchini sushi rolls at the link above for additional help!)

You need:
about 1/2 a large zucchini
1/2 a carrot
1/2 a beet
cashew cheese
raw tomato sauce

Peel or slice the zucchini into wide, thin strips. Peel the carrot and raw beet and slice into equally sized pieces with a knife.

Lay out a strip of zucchini and place a spoonful of cashew cheese on one end. Lay a few slices each of carrot and beet on top of the cheese. Roll up the zucchini and secure with a toothpick.

Repeat for as many roll-ups as you like. Top with the raw tomato sauce.

Makes 6 roll-ups (using amounts above)

Raw Zucchini Lasagna

Recently, I've become more intrigued by raw foods - as you can see from my raw beet apple carrot salad, raw corn avocado chowder, and raw zucchini noodles. I don't see myself converting to a fully raw food diet anytime soon, but I do enjoy making the occasional meal or dessert out of purely raw ingredients - I just feel so good about what I'm eating when it's all unprocessed, because I know I'm getting as many nutrients as possible!

But since a lot of raw food recipes still intimidate me a bit, as they often require ingredients I have never heard of, I don't make a lot of raw food meals for myself at home. So when I had the chance to try a raw zucchini lasagna at a vegetarian restaurant that I went to recently, I couldn't wait to order it! The dish was described as "A delicate vegetable stack topped with cashew cheese and raw tomato basil sauce on a bed of organic greens". And when it appeared in front of me (see picture below), I immediately started thinking of how I could recreate it myself at home!

As you can see from the picture of my version at the top of this post, I think my reproduction turned out pretty good! I have to say, it was more work than I would normally put into a meal, but it was also a lot of fun!

I was the most excited to make the cashew cheese - something I have been wanting to try for a while. That was probably my favourite component of the dish, although it didn't stand out that much once it was mixed in between all the layers of vegetables.

For the vegetables, I chose to use peeled carrots, beets and parsnips, in addition to the slices of zucchini. I really loved this combination, especially the sweetness of the raw beets. It also helped that all of the ingredients that I used (the vegetables, tomatoes and garlic) were fresh from the farmer's market.

So as long as you don't expect this to taste anything like real lasagna, and if you like eating raw vegetables as much as I do, then you will love this raw-zagna!

Raw Zucchini Lasagna
Inspired by the "Rawzagna" dish at Veg Out Restaurant

Note: These are the approximate amounts that I used for a large individual serving, but you can use whatever amounts of vegetables that you like!

about 1/2 a large zucchini
1/2 a carrot
1/2 a parsnip (or use more carrot)
1/2 a medium beet
cashew cheese (recipe below)
raw tomato sauce (recipe below)

Peel the green skin off the zucchini and discard. Using a knife or a vegetable peeler, slice into very thin, wide strips. You will want enough strips for 3 layers of lasagna.

Peel the skin off the carrot, parsnip and beet, then peel them into thin strips using a vegetable peeler. Aim for uniform lengths of all the vegetables.

To assemble the lasagna, start by laying a few slices of zucchini on a plate. Next, add a layer of the peeled carrot, parsnip and beet. Top with a few dollops of cashew cheese and a large spoonful of tomato sauce. Repeat for two more layers, ending with a generous amount of sauce on top.


Raw Cashew "Cheese"
Recipe from Chocolate & Zucchini

3/4 cup raw cashews
1/4 cup water
1 tsp lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp sea salt
pepper

Soak the cashews in a container filled with water for a few hours. Drain and place in a food processor or blender. Add 1/4 cup water and the rest of the ingredients. Process until mixture is fully blended.

Transfer to a container and let sit for at least 12 hours (the original recipe says 24 hours) before placing in the fridge.

Makes 3/4 cup (more than you will need for this recipe, but you can save the leftovers for up to 5 days for other uses)


Raw Tomato Sauce
Adapted from The Parsley Thief

1 lb tomatoes (I used about 3 medium tomatoes)
1 clove of garlic
1/4 tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp of sliced fresh basil leaves
1/2 tbsp olive oil
freshly ground pepper

Chop the tomatoes and place in a blender.

Smash the garlic with the salt until it resembles a paste.

Add the garlic paste, basil, olive oil and some pepper to the blender.

Pulse the mixture in the blender a few times until it is roughly blended. Transfer to a container and let sit for about an hour before using.



**Stay tuned to see version #2 of my raw zucchini lasagna - reconstructed!**

Beet-Chickpea Sliders with Tahini Yogurt Sauce

Our family recently held a backyard BBQ and we decided to serve different kinds of sliders as the main dish. Of course, we needed a vegetarian option for my sister and I, and I was put in charge of coming up with a recipe and making them. Immediately I thought of something I’ve been wanting to make for awhile – beet burgers!

I’ve already professed my love for both beets and miniature food, so I was very excited about the idea of mini beet sliders...I even gave a little cheer of “Beet burgers! Beet burgers!” very enthusiastically to anyone who asked what I was making.

After searching for a while for the perfect recipe, I decided on this one for beet, oat and chickpea sliders. I liked the concept of adding chickpeas because I thought they would add a nice flavour as well as some texture.

They took some time to put together, since there are a fair number of different ingredients that go in them, but once the patties are made, the rest is simple – just put them on a baking sheet and into the oven!

When I served this platter of purple patties to my family, some people were really excited to try them, but others were much more hesitant! My sister and I would have been quite happy to have them all to ourselves, but most people ended up trying them after all, and everyone who did gave them rave reviews!

Unfortunately, I didn't get any nice pictures that actually did them justice (I couldn't exactly take them away for a photo shoot while everyone else was starting dinner!). But even though they may look a little diffferent from typical burgers, hopefully you will still give beet burgers a chance! They actually don't taste much like beets, and they aren't like storebought veggie burgers either - they have a soft texture and the taste of the chickpeas comes through the most - kind of like falafels.

Beet-Chickpea Sliders
Adapted from Hobby and More

1 ½ medium beets, peeled and grated

1 cup cooked chickpeas

1 medium potato, boiled

1 cup oats, coarsely ground/blended, divided 

4 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp cumin 
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp chili flakes

1 tsp garam masala

2 tbsp olive oil

Place the chickpeas in a large bowl and mash. Add the cooked potato and grated beets and continue to mash until everything looks broken down and mixed together.

Add in the salt, spices and olive oil and mix well. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes, then mix in ½ cup of the ground oats. The mixture should now be dry enough to form into patties.

Form small balls out of the mixture and flatten into patties (they should be the size of your slider buns). Add the remaining ground oats to a plate and press each side of the patty into the oats to coat. Place the coated patties onto a parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until they start to feel crisp on the outside.

Serve with tahini yogurt sauce (if desired) on slider buns. The patties are also really good just on their own!

Makes 12 small patties.

Tahini Yogurt Sauce
Adapted from Eating Well

I also wanted to come up with a sauce to go on the sliders. Since these are similar to falafels, I thought that a tahini-yogurt sauce would go well with them, and it was perfect!

1/2 cup plain yogurt (I used Greek yogurt)

2 tbsp tahini

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/3 cup chopped parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. 

Raw Beet, Carrot & Apple Salad

One thing you should know about me is that I absolutely LOVE beets! Whenever I buy a bunch of them, I get so excited trying to come up with new and creative ways to use them. One of my favourite ways to eat beets is to roast them and add them to a simple salad with goat cheese, or even on their own mixed with plain yogurt. I've also had success in the past with beet pasta, and beet hummus is definitely my favourite kind of hummus ever!

But on to this salad...I didn't realize until recently that you could eat beets raw too! All you do is peel them, cut off the stems and then grate them just like you would carrots. Check out the how gorgeous this one was when I cut it open - it looks just like a real heart!

The grated beets pair really well with shredded carrots, and then I got the idea to add shredded apple to the mix after seeing this recipe on one of my favourite blogs, Oh She Glows.
For the dressing, I used this one for a honey-dijon vinaigrette . I just substituted honey mustard for the dijon, and used a bit less oil than it called for.

For the rest of the salad, I used:

half of a large beet, peeled and grated
1 carrot, shredded
half of an apple, shredded
handful of dried cranberries
handful of pumpkin seeds, toasted

Combine the shredded beet, carrot and apple. You might want to squeeze the apple first as it will be very watery. Add the cranberries and toasted pumpkin seeds. Serve on top of washed beet greens (might as well use up the whole beet while you're at it!) or regular lettuce. Pour dressing over top (you won't need the whole recipe, so save some for another use).

Makes 1 large serving.