Do you want to eat stuff that’s good for you, and for the planet? Watch which vegetables you use in winter. Green beans, for example, have to travel a long way in the cold winter months. That’s harmful to the environment, and vegetables are also less fresh, with fewer vitamins. It’s better to eat with the seasons or to opt for vegetables that can be harvested all year round, such as the beetroot.
Healthy, colourful, and delicious
Did you know that beets are packed with vitamins and minerals? This often-forgotten vegetable is healthy, colourful, and tasty. And versatile too! I’ve created three delicious recipes with beets for you to try. Hopefully it inspires you to get started yourself and – just like me – to use a ‘new’ vegetable.
1. Beetroot burger in a bun
Comfort food! You can always make me happy with a sandwich or burger, and this homemade beet burger is no exception. This recipe is nice and easy, and healthy too!
What you need for 4 burgers:
- 3 medium raw beetroot (about 500 grams grated)
- 1 egg
- 2 cloves garlic
- 150 grams oatmeal (finely ground)
- 100 grams feta
- 1 shallot or small red onion
- pinch of salt and pepper
Peel and grate the beetroot, squeeze the garlic, and cut the red onion into small pieces. Grind the oatmeal flakes and crumble the feta. Mix all the ingredients together and add the egg. Knead to a solid mass and form 4 round burgers.
Tip: Place the burgers on a sheet of baking paper in the fridge. This way the burgers won’t fall apart during baking.
Bake the burgers on each side for about 5 minutes on medium heat. Meanwhile, make garlic sauce. Homemade garlic sauce tastes so much better than sauce from a bottle!
What you'll need:
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons full-fat yogurt
- 1 clove finely chopped garlic
- pinch of sea salt
- fresh black pepper and
- fresh chives (nice, but not necessary)
And now... build your burger! Take baked hamburger buns, a leaf of lettuce, the beet burger, the garlic sauce, tomato, red onion and a slice of cucumber. Enjoy your meal!
2. Puff pastry tart with beetroot and blue cheese
Want to try something new? Then make a puff pastry tart! Suitable for dinner, but also great for lunch!
What you'll need:
- 3 beetroot
- a roll of puff pastry
- 50 grams blue cheese
- handful of walnuts (unroasted)
- 1 red onion
- 75 grams creme fraiche
- salt and pepper
- dash of milk
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Roll out the puff pastry on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Prick holes in the dough with a fork and brush the dough with a thin layer of milk. Mix the creme fraiche with black pepper and a pinch of salt. Brush the dough with the mixture. Cut the beetroot into thin slices (0.5 cm) and place them on the dough. Also cut the red onion into thin rings and spread it over the beetroot. Finally, chop the walnuts coarsely and sprinkle them and the blue cheese over the plate cake. If you’re not a big fan of blue cheese, you can replace this with feta or goat cheese. Bake the pastry with beetroot in the oven for 25 minutes. Garnish with some basil and balsamic syrup.
3. Pesto of beetroot and parmesan cheese
Surprise others (or yourself!) with a coloured beetroot pesto. Looks great on the table and is delicious to eat.
What you'll need:
- 200 grams precooked beetroot
- 1 clove garlic
- 50 grams parmesan cheese (grated)
- 50 grams unroasted walnuts
- dash of olive oil
Cut the beets into coarse pieces and mix them together with the walnuts, garlic and parmesan cheese in a bowl. Puree these ingredients with a hand blender to a smooth mass. Is your pesto still a bit thick? Then pour in a little olive oil. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Delicious as a dip on crispy baguette!
