We're on a mission to sharpen up our diet, eat more fruit & veg and generally drop the fat, so suppers are now on my list to make interesting but healthier.
Wrap 4 mid sized raw beetroot, with a bit of the tops and the whole tail still on, in foil with a splash of balsamic or flavoured vinegar and a peeled, bashed garlic clove. I used some spiced beetroot vinegar from Nicolsons www.nicholsonfinefoods.com.au. Cook in the oven at 180c for about 3/4 hour until they are cooked through.
I decided, after many years of mickey-taking of it, to actually cook some quinoa (or should that be keeen-waaaah?). I used 1/4 cup of quinoa with 1/2 cup of water, brought to the boil and then left at a low, covered simmer for 15 mins. I turned it off at that point and left it covered until I needed it.
Heat a frying pan and cook a teaspoon of mustard seeds until they pop. Put in a bowl in which you've stirred together 1 tspn honey, a dessertspoon of walnut oil and a splash of the flavoured vinegar. When the beetroot are cooked through, cut off the top n tails, scrape off the skin and cut into small chunks. Put into the dressing bowl along with the cooked quinoa and beetroot. Give it a jolly good stir.
Serve: torn up lettuce leaves on plate, scatter beetroot mix over. Crumble some baked, wholewheat pitta chips over to add some crunch. Stir together a generous tsp of sour cream and tablespoon of greek yogurt together well, and dot over the salad. Crumble some goats cheese over the top.
I added some chopped nectarine to mine.
Next time, rather than quartering the beetroot I will chop into bit sized chunks. I'd toyed with the idea of added a seared pork cutlet but I think this would have been overkill.
The Loved One declared it to be very good. The quinoa was the suprise of the piece. It was nutty and nice, despite sounding immensely pretentious.
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