Beet Love!
When I tell people that it took me 40 years to like beets, I get one of two responses. The first is a broad smile and a hearty endorsement for their beloved root vegetable. The second is a pronounced scrunching of the face, accompanied by some verbal derision and a promise to never even try to like them. jump to recipe
Before falling for my little fuchsia friends (although the golden variety are just as loveable) I most likely only encountered a canned version. Having consistently heard how good they were for me, however, I persevered in trying to convert my dislike – the nutrition hobbyist in me simply had no choice. Interestingly, I can’t say when I finally liked them, but imagine it was while roasting them for a catered event. Roasted is the best.
Why even try to like them, or eat more of them? Well, you’ll be helping your blood pressure, fighting inflammation, boosting both endurance and your immune system, getting a healthy dose of essential minerals, and may even be reducing your risk of cancer. You can’t scrunch your face up at that!
I was recently reminded of muhammura, a Middle Eastern dip/spread made with walnuts and pomegranate molasses. This gave rise to a hankerin’ and I wondered about making a version with beets.
I had walnuts, but was out of pomegranate molasses. Hmmm... I reached for some hibiscus syrup that I had on hand, since it has a similar sweet-tart flavor. I roasted my beets, but you could probably get away with making this with raw beets.
Ingredients
- 2-3 beets, roasted
- ¾ cup walnuts, toasted
- 1 tsp. coriander
- ½ clove garlic
- ½ -1 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1-2 Tbsp. pomegranate molasses or hibiscus syrup
- 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
- Chile powder, to taste
Instructions
- Put everything in a food processor and puree until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Serve with cuke chips, pepper spears, or crackers.
