The Knobbly Plate

A veggie, foodie, photography site

beetroot

A Vibrant, Fresh, Colourful Summer Salad

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A vibrant summer salad is a symphony of nature’s colors and flavors, a radiant tapestry woven with the golden glow of roasted carrots, the deep crimson of beetroot jewels, and the emerald embrace of tender greens. Each bite is a burst of sunshine, sweetened by the honeyed kiss of caramelized roots and the tangy notes of balsamic drizzle. Toasted nuts add a whisper of earthiness, while crumbled cheese melts like morning dew upon the leaves. It’s a celebration of summer’s bounty, a dance of textures and tastes that delights the senses and nourishes the soul.

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A Vibrant, Fresh, Colourful Summer Salad
Author: 
Recipe type: Vegetarian
Cuisine: European
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
 
Ingredients
  • * Roasted Vegetables:
  • * 4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into thin strips
  • * 2 medium beetroots, peeled and cut into wedges
  • * 2 tbsp olive oil
  • * 1 tbsp honey
  • * 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • * Salt and pepper to taste
  • * Salad:
  • * 4 cups mixed salad leaves (e.g., arugula, baby spinach, and watercress)
  • * ¼ cup crumbled goat cheese or feta
  • * ¼ cup toasted walnuts or pecans
  • * ¼ cup pomegranate seeds or dried cranberries
  • * Dressing:
  • * 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • * 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • * 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • * 1 tsp honey
  • * Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Roast the Vegetables:
  2. * Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
  3. * Toss the carrots and beetroot with olive oil, honey, cumin seeds, salt, and pepper.
  4. * Spread them on a baking sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes, until tender and caramelized, stirring halfway through.
  5. Prepare the Dressing:
  6. * In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper.
  7. Assemble the Salad:
  8. * In a large salad bowl, toss the mixed salad leaves with a bit of the dressing.
  9. * Arrange the roasted carrots and beetroot on top.
  10. * Sprinkle the crumbled goat cheese, toasted nuts, and pomegranate seeds or dried cranberries over the salad.
  11. * Drizzle with more dressing as desired.
  12. Serve:
  13. * Serve the salad immediately, either as a light meal on its own or as a side dish.
  14. This salad is a perfect balance of sweet, savory, and tangy flavors, making it an indulgent yet healthy choice for summer.

 

 

Roasted Root Vegetables, Beetroot, Parsnips, Carrots and Red Onion

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Roasted root vegetables are such a classic and comforting dish, perfect for any occasion! The combination of beetroot, parsnips, carrots, and red onion offers a delightful mix of flavors and colors. Here’s a simple recipe to make them:

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Roasted Root Vegetables, Beetroot, Parsnips, Carrots and Red Onion
Author: 
Recipe type: Vegetarian
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
 
Ingredients
  • 2 medium-sized beetroots, peeled and diced
  • 3 medium-sized parsnips, peeled and diced
  • 3 medium-sized carrots, peeled and diced
  • 1 large red onion, peeled and cut into wedges
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Optional: herbs like thyme or rosemary for extra flavor
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F).
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine all the diced vegetables.
  3. Drizzle the olive oil over the vegetables and toss them until evenly coated.
  4. Season with salt, pepper, and any herbs you're using. Toss again to distribute the seasoning.
  5. Spread the vegetables out onto a large baking tray in a single layer, ensuring they're not overcrowded. You can use two trays if needed.
  6. Roast in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and lightly caramelized, stirring halfway through to ensure even cooking.
  7. Once done, remove from the oven and serve hot as a side dish to your favorite main course.

These roasted root vegetables are not only delicious but also packed with nutrients and vibrant colors that will brighten up any meal! Enjoy!

 

 

Lazy Days Beetroot & Raisin Tea Bread

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Well the weekend seems to have flown by and on these lovely hot sunny days what could be nicer than a nice refreshing cup of tea and some freshly baked beetroot and raisin tea bread.

The beetroot season has just started and it is a vegetable that I feel is particularly unused. Mostly bought in jars pickled in vinegar but it is so much more versatile and good for you too. Beetroot is a good source of iron and folate (naturally occurring folic acid). It also contains nitrates, betaine, magnesium and other antioxidants (notably betacyanin). More recent health claims suggest beetroot can help lower blood pressure, boost exercise performance and prevent dementia.

There that’s the science out of the way which I have to confess I copied from the internet to save you all the bother of going to look it up for yourselves. This weekend was a true lazy weekend for me as I didn’t really do anything at all except a bit of baking and lounging around in the sun eating the fruits of my endevours. There is a new micro pub opening up in my high street in the coming weeks so I will be sampling some real ales before too long and hope to write a review here in this blog about all my “hard” work in sampling said beers.


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Lazy Days Beetroot & Raisin Tea Bread
Author: 
Recipe type: Bread
Cuisine: Baking
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 6 persons
 
Ingredients
  • 200g Light Muscova Sugar
  • 4 Large Eggs, Separated
  • 200g Finely grated beetroot
  • Zest and Juice of a Lemon
  • 100g Raisins
  • 100g Ground Almonds
  • 200g Self Raising Flour
  • 1 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1 tsp Grated Nutmeg
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to gas mark 3 and lightly grease a loaf tin. Then line with baking parchment.
  2. Using a whisk beat together the egg yolks and sugar until soft and fluffy.
  3. Stir in the beetroot, ground almonds,lemon zest and juice and the raisins.
  4. Sift in the flours and spices and fold in gently.
  5. Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks and slowly fold into the cake mixture.
  6. Pour into the loaf tin and bake for around an hour until you can insert a skewer and it comes out clean.
  7. Allow to rest for 10 mins in tin before removing to cool.