Fed up of tropical mango? Then try this pink beetroot smoothie, full of earthy sweet flavours, and some citrus to balance. This recipe is from Laura Wright’s fabulous book The First Mess, packed with seasonal plant-based recipes.
Beetroot contains oxalates, so speak to GP before taking if you have kidney stones or blood pressure issues. Beets also (temporarily) turn your pee pink! Keep mushrooms, onion & garlic away from pets. Read more on food safety for people & pets.
How to Buy & Store Beetroot
Cut the stalks and leave the root at the bottom (no need to peel) and they do take a couple of hours baking at least (in a lidded casserole with a little water). You can also grate raw beetroot into salad, and use the salad leaves to garnish.
Fresh beetroot keeps for a few weeks in a cool dark place (it’s in season from July to January) and if you do freeze it, boil or steam first, cool and then pop into sealed containers. Defrost it overnight in the fridge (not at room temperature).
Beetroot & Mushroom Bolognese Recipes
This lovely beet & mushroom bolognese (The First Mess) calls for roasted beets (find them at greengrocers that sell them warm in the morning) with filling lentils. Use pasta in plastic-free packaging. Serve with plant-based Parmesan (conventional Parmesan contains calf rennet).
Earthy Beetroot & Chocolate Cake Recipe
This beetroot & chocolate cake (Rainbow Nourishments) is super-simple to make, and makes use of beetroot, an English favourite vegetable (its natural sweetness lends itself beautifully for cakes). This is an Aussie take on the popular ‘red devil’ combination in the USA of chocolate and beetroots.
This is a classic wet vs dry recipe, though you have to cook and blend the beets beforehand (don’t use vinegared beetroots, it won’t work!) If you don’t fancy cooking them yourself, most indie greengrocers sell them warm and freshly-cooked, if you get there early mornings.
Wait until the plantmilk and beetroot are cool before blending.
The chocolate is given an added kick with espresso coffee. So the earthiness of the beets helps to bring down your ‘mental temperature’ with all that caffeine!
While the cake is cooling, make the chocolate ganache, and chill for a couple of hours. You can make this cake extra colourful by adding the beetroot water to vegan butter (Flora is free from palm oil) and icing sugar, then swirl them together.
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for a few days, in an airtight container. The cake is more ‘pink’ the day of making, but will still taste as good, if not eaten straight away.
