One of my favourite things as a kid was tinned or canned beetroot, strange I know, we were a mostly sugar deprived family growing up, hello sugar free carob for Easter!
Mum would often pickle her own beetroot, so the tinned kind was few and far between. Mum’s version was always in big chunks, which as a kid I would turn my nose up at, mostly because it never tasted as sweet as the canned stuff.
Mum loved to make things herself rather than rely on packaged goods, which is something I strive towards, making things more simple again and reducing waste along the way.
Beetroot is so good for you, studies have shown how good it is for our cardiovascular system, improving athletic performance, supporting liver and gallbladder health, improving bowel function and lowering cholesterol levels to name a few(1).
Beetroot is also high in betacyanin, which is the plant compound that gives beets the purple crimson colour, and its these betacyanins that are powerful anti-cancer compounds(1).
And beetroots are also rich in folate, plant fibre and are a great source of potassium, and manganese(1).
These are all great reasons to get more beets in your life!
Beetroot also is so versatile in the kitchen. Its earthy sweet flavour can be added to both savoury and sweet dishes.
Here’s a few ideas;
Chocolate beetroot cake,
Beetroot hummus,
Beetroot salad,
Roasted beets in a kale salad,
Beetroot soup or borscht,
Beetroot sauerkraut,
Beetroot curry,
The list goes on….
This recipe is so easy and only uses 3 ingredients, plus water
~Beetroot
~Apple cider vinegar
~Brown rice syrup
I find it tastes so much better than the tinned stuff now…
It’s still a little sweet from the rice syrup and natural sugar in the beetroot but tangy as well..Delicious!
Here’s the recipe below.
Disclaimer; the information provided here is for educational purposes only, it is not intended to diagnose, treat or replace medical advice.
References;
- M. Murray & J. Pizzorno, ‘The Encyclopaedia of Healing Foods’, 2005, Atria Books US, pp166-167.
Pickled Beetroot
Ingredients
- 3-4 Medium Beetroots
- 3 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 tbsp Brown Rice syrup
Instructions
- Wash and peel beetroot.
- Thinly slice the beetroot and place into a medium saucepanCover with cold water
- Over medium to high heat bring the beetroot and water to a boil
- Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmerSimmer for approximately 40 minutes or until the beetroot is tender and relatively soft.
- Add apple cider vinegar and rice syrup to the pot, stir to combine.Take off heat and once cooled add the remaining liquid and beetroot to a jar for storageStore in the fridge for around a week