All That I'm Eating

Recipe ideas for budget meals, everyday cooking and a little indulgence. Travel inspiration and restaurant reviews too.

Golden Beetroot Remoulade

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golden beetroot remoulade

Beetroot has to be one of my favourite root vegetables. I love all the different colours you can get and a recent addition to my veg box was a bunch of golden beetroot. At first I thought about boiling it and mixing it with white wine vinegar and some spices. Then I got to thinking about proper comfort food and a golden beetroot remoulade would be the perfect finishing touch to a rather traditional dinner. A fantastically earthy alternative to using celeriac.

ingredients

You will need (for a good bowlful of remoulade, enough for dinner and leftovers for the next day): read more

Beetroot and Feta Dip

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Beetroot is one of my favourite vegetables; it’s sweet, earthy flavour is like nothing else. I like to roast it with other root veg, boil it and add a little rich balsamic vinegar for a simple side or salad and I have tried smoking it on the barbecue in the past too. This latest batch of beetroot however I decided should be turned into a beetroot and feta dip. Firstly because the colour would be glorious and secondly because I wanted something punchy and full of flavour to serve with some delicious sourdough. read more

Beetroot, Horseradish and Salmon Sandwiches

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Chioggia beetroot, aka candy beetroot

Just look at those Chioggia beetroot. Aren’t they beautiful? Not only do these beetroot, also known as candy beetroot, look brilliant their vibrant stripes can’t fail to cheer you up even on the gloomiest of days. These beetroot, horseradish and salmon sandwiches came about because I love the combination of earthy, sweet beetroot and fiery horseradish with smoked foods. That, and I fancied something for lunch that wasn’t just toast! Another great thing about this variety of beetroot is that you don’t need to clean the entire kitchen after peeling them; they have hardly any of the staining power of their deep purple cousin.

Ingredients

You will need (for four very generous open sandwiches):

  • Baguette, rye bread, crusty rolls or whatever bread you fancy; sliced or halved as needed to make it have an open face
  • 800g Chioggia beetroot (any other beetroot would be fine too)
  • 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
  • 2 tbsp hot horseradish sauce
  • Salt and pepper
  • Smoked salmon
  • Squeeze of lemon

Method

Start by peeling the beetroot. Chop them up into chunks and then place in a roasting dish. Drizzle over the rapeseed oil, add some salt and pepper and mix it together well to ensure all the beetroot is coated in oil and seasoning.

Roast in the oven at 180C for 40 minutes or until the beetroot are soft when tested with a knife.

Blend the beetroot in a processor until it’s in small chunks (or chunkier or smoother depending on how you like it) then stir through the horseradish.

Get your bread ready, maybe toast it, cut the crusts off, whatever you fancy then top with the beetroot and horseradish mix. Top each sandwich with some smoked salmon then drizzle over a little lemon juice and some extra black pepper.

I think these open sandwiches have a little bit of everything. Sweet beetroot, punchy horseradish, crusty bread, silky smoked salmon and sharp lemon. You could also use smoked ham or smoked cheese instead of the salmon if you like. This was such a great lunch and one that I think would lend itself well to taking to work; you can just add the toppings when you’re ready to eat! That beetroot and horseradish mixture would be great added to mashed potatoes too.

Beetroot, Lentil and Bergamot Lemon Salad

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Beetroot, Lentil and Bergamot Lemon Salad

I’ll be honest, salads don’t tend to excite me very much. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate the freshness a few leaves bring on the side of something else but as a standalone dish, it’s not really for me. However, things have changed and I’ve started to make, what I would call, more ‘bulky’ salads. This particular combination of beetroot, lentil and bergamot lemon is so colourful and combined with a bit of goat’s cheese is equally good warm or cold.

You will need (for two large salads):

  • 3 medium beetroot
  • 100g soft goat’s cheese
  • 100g green lentils
  • Two handfuls of rocket
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp bergamot lemon juice
  • Salt and pepper

Cook the lentils according to the packet instructions. Cook them in stock rather than water if you want to add a bit more oomph to your lentils.

Place the beetroot in a saucepan with cold water. Bring the pan to the boil then reduce to a simmer and leave for 30-40 minutes depending on the size of your beetroot.

Drain the beetroot and leave to cool before removing the skin. I find the best way to do this is to gently rub and squeeze it off with your hands. You end up with fantastically pink palms afterwards but it’s so satisfying to remove the skins this way! Chop the beetroot into chunks.

Drain the lentils when they are done. I always give them a quick rinse afterwards too.

Add the lentils, beetroot and rocket to a bowl and crumble over the cheese.

Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice and a good pinch of salt and pepper before pouring this over the salad.

The lentils bring plenty of padding to the dish along with the earthiness of the beetroot and the freshness of the rocket it’s really vibrant. The goat’s cheese adds creaminess and the delicious bergamot lemon dressing finishes it all off nicely. A good excuse to make something different to make the most of the distinctive bergamot lemon flavour. I really like this salad; filling, flavourful and full of texture.

Crussh Book

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Crussh Juice Book

The idea of smoothies and juices I really like; getting the nutrients (with or without the fibrous parts) in a convenient way really appeals. Not least because it gives me something to do with a fridge full of vegetables other than soup. The only thing that puts me off is the thought I needed another piece of kitchen equipment to be able to make my own. The publishers of Crussh, Nourish Books, got in touch to see if I’d like to try out the new book. I asked if a juicer was necessary and they said it wasn’t so I was looking forward to giving one of the recipes a try.

I like how the book is divided up with some more ‘advanced’ drinks in the back containing oats, wheatgrass and all sorts. Certainly something to progress towards (they sounded delicious) but not for the smoothie novice I am! There are all sorts of ideas for flavour combinations; certainly a juicer would make your life easier but as I found out a food processor does almost as good a job.

For my Beetroot, Orange and Lime Juice (makes two glasses) you will need:

  • 4 large oranges
  • 1 large beetroot
  • 1 lime

Squeeze one of the oranges into a food processor.

Peel and roughly chop the beetroot and add to the food processor. Blend everything together.

Remove the pulp and push it all through a sieve.

Juice the remaining oranges and lime and mix into the beetroot.

I love the vibrant colour of this juice and the earthy flavour of the beetroot was so nice with the zesty orange and lime. For me the flavour combinations in the book were interesting and inspiring but I do feel like you would get more out of the book if you have a juicer or smoothie maker. I’m sure one of the soup blender attachments would make a good smoothie if you have one of those.

Thanks to Nourish Books for the book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Beetroot and Poppy Seed Cupcakes

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Beetroot and Poppyseed Cupcakes - All That I'm Eating (1 of 3)

I am a fan of beetroot; I’ve tried many different recipes with them in the past but sometimes when the vegetable box keeps bringing me beetroot I am stuck for what to do. I have made chocolate and beetroot cake in the past and I fancied trying something sweet with my latest accumulation, hence, Beetroot and Poppy Seed Cupcakes. Something a little different and somewhat stripy for the lunchbox.

You will need (for 12 cupcakes):

  • 200g self raising flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 150g caster sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 150ml sunflower oil
  • 200g raw beetroot, peeled and grated
  • 2 tbsp poppy seeds
  • 25g softened butter
  • 200g full fat cream cheese
  • 300g icing sugar
  • 1 tbsp poppy seeds

Preheat the oven to 180C. Squeeze as much water out of the grated beetroot as you can (your hands will turn a fabulous pink colour).

Mix the flour and baking powder together in a bowl.

In a mixer (or another bowl) whisk the oil and sugar together until well combined then add the eggs making sure they are well mixed in.

Stir in the beetroot and poppy seeds then fold in the flour and baking powder.

Spoon the mix into cupcake cases until about 3/4 full then bake for 18-20 minutes or until cooked. Remove from the oven and leave to cool while you make the icing.

Beat the butter until really soft. Add the cheese and a few big spoonfuls of the icing sugar and beat again until combined. Add the remaining sugar with the poppy seeds and mix again until combined.

I had planned to pipe (who am I kidding, I planned to spoon) the lusciously thick icing onto the cakes for a little finesse but the icing was somewhat thinner than I had hoped. I think I overbeat the cream cheese, more fool me. So I ended up dunking my little cakes into the pool of icing which was rather enjoyable but somewhat messy. Still tasty though.

They were amazingly pink before they went into the oven but as you can see the colour baked out; it stayed on the top but not inside. I still thought they looked very pretty especially with the poppy seeds dotted throughout. I was surprised how the beetroot flavour didn’t carry over as much as I thought; you could certainly tell it was there but it wasn’t as distinctive as I’d anticipated.

These are well worth a try next time you have some fresh beetroot and as they contain plenty of vegetable and seed particulates I’m sure you could argue that they’re healthy. Ignoring the oil, sugar and full fat cream cheese of course. If you find you have many, many beetroot and are after some further beetroot inspiration, check out some of my other ideas here.

Beetroot Tzatziki, Beef Koftas and Quick Flatbreads

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Beetroot Tzatziki with Quick Flatbreads and Beef Koftas - All That I'm Eating (2 of 2)

Beetroot can be a bit of a pain in my house, other than putting it in a salad or putting it on the side with something I am sometimes at a loss for what to do with it. When I get a bunch I find the easiest thing to do is to cook it all at the same time then peel it and keep it in the fridge for when I need it. Using the beetroot for a beetroot tzatziki was a great discovery and was so good with the beef koftas and super quick homemade flatbreads.

Ingredients

You will need (for two):

For the koftas:

  • 200g beef mince
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • Salt and pepper

For the beetroot tzatziki:

  • 150g natural yoghurt
  • 2 small beetroot, grated
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • 2 spring onions, finely sliced
  • 1/2 tsp dried mint
  • Small handful fresh coriander, roughly chopped
  • Salt and pepper

For the flatbreads (I’ve made these Jamie Oliver flatbreads before and they are fab!):

  • 350g self raising flour
  • Pinch salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 350g natural yoghurt

Method

Make the beetroot tzatziki by combining all of the ingredients together in a bowl.

Mix the ingredients for the koftas together then form into little balls. Fry these in a little oil until well browned and slightly crispy on the outside.

Make the flatbreads by mixing all the ingredients together and knead it lightly. Divide the mix into balls, I made six with the above mix, and roll them out on a floured surface. Get a frying pan on a high heat (no oil needed) and add the flatbreads one at a time. Leave each flatbread to go crispy before flipping it over and keep the cooked ones warm while you cook the rest.

Serve the flatbreads, kofta and tzatziki together with some salad and enjoy!

Using just two small beetroot in this left me with a few more to enjoy with other meals in the week. The colour of the tzatziki was fantastic and the texture with the beetroot and spring onions was great. Sticky, garlic koftas with cool beetroot tzatziki and crispy, (on the outside) soft, (in the middle) warm flatbreads all worked together so well. A brilliant use for beetroot if I do say so myself and a dinner I’ll certainly be making again.

Beetroot Gratin with Roasted Garlic and Goat’s Cheese Giant Crostini

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I was first introduced to beetroot in its pickled form. This was many years ago and I still enjoy a well vinegared beetroot very much. The first time I tried fresh beetroot I didn’t like it; it was too earthy and nowhere near as acidic enough as I was used to. However my feelings towards this most purple of roots have changed over time and now it’s one of my favourite vegetables. I like to think of this beetroot gratin as a celebration of beetroot; an impressive purple plate of pleasure. read more

Beetroot, Walnut, Goat’s Cheese and Orzo Pasta ‘Salad’ with Dill Dressing

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We are coming to the end of last year’s stored beetroot and can look forward to some fresh summer beetroot soon. I haven’t planted beetroot this year as I decided I would grow peas, beans, more beans, tomatoes and courgettes only. Not to worry though as last year’s beetroot are still popping up in my vegetable box and down at the local market. I’ve called this a ‘salad’ because it sort of falls in the salad category with the beetroot, walnuts and dressing but at the same time it is a pasta dish; a very luminously coloured pasta dish at that. read more

Beetroot and Goat’s Cheese Risotto

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This is the first of a three part post for Valentine’s Day. It’s designed to be seasonal, sumptuous, divine and stress free. The quantities are meant for two. The dessert is one that can be prepared in advance and kept in the fridge; the main is meant for long cooking so you have ample time to make the simple starter. All this spare time means you’re not rushing around desperately trying find that Barry White CD at the last minute. After all, it’s your Valentine’s dinner too. read more

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