Fudgy Beetroot Brownie

by Lou Robbie

Cooked beetroot is so versatile, delicious panfried with garlic or roasted with onions and a dash of balsamic vinegar. It is really good in sweet bakes and a firm favourite in my house is beetroot chocolate brownies!! This is a wonderful treat, chocolate and beetroot work so well together. Its a great way to celebrate our homegrown IRISH beetroots. Our beetroot season is coming to an end, but you’ll continue to get Irish beetroot from grower Philip Dreaper.

Make these bitter sweet beauties soon.

Lou 🙂

Ingredients: makes 9 squares

Method:

Tip: Steam, boil or roast raw beetroot with the skin on until cooked through. Peel and cool.

Step 1: Preheat the oven 170ºC. Line a 9in square baking tin with parchment paper.

Step 2: Melt the butter and chocolate together in the microwave or in a bowl over a pot of simmering water.

Step 3: Whisk in the sugar and eggs until thick and smooth. An electric hand mixer works best or a hand whisk wil do too.

Step 4: Sieve in the plain flour and cacao powder and whisk again to combine. Grate the cooked beetroot straight into the bowl, stir into the chocolate mix. Then pour into the baking tin. Bake for 22-25 minutes. The brownie should be slightly gooey in the middle. Leave to set and cool then slice and serve. Vanilla ice cream is aways a good paring!

Homemade Organic Pickled Beetroot

by Lou Robbie

BEETROOT a powerhouse of nutrients it is so good for us. It aids muscle growth and repair, is rich in folate (B9 vitamin) and has antioxidant properties that fight free radicles in our bodies, just to name a few. A superfood indeed.

If you order some in your veg box a nice way to make them last is to pickle them. You can use them after one day, they will keep in a jar in the fridge for 1 month. Tuck in and add your homemade organic pickled beetroot to sandwiches, salads, have with a veggie curry or eat from the jar if you fancy, we wont judge you 🙂

Please let us know if you try making this, we love to hear from you.

Lou 🙂

Ingredients: makes 1 big jar or 2 small

Method:

Step 1: Steam or boil the beetroot, keep the top and tails on. Depending on the size it will take 30-60 minutes. Pearse with a small sharp knife to check if they are done. Put the beets in a bowl and cover with cold water, rub the skins off with your fingers.

Step 2: Cut the beets into small wedges and put them in a sterilised jar. In a small pot heat the vinegar, brown sugar, mustard seeds, chilli flakes and bay leaves in a small pot until the sugar dissolves. Take off the heat an cool completely. Pour over the beetroot and seal the jar. (If the liquid doesn’t fully cover the beetroot top up with cold water)

These will keep for a month in the fridge.

Recipe Roundup – Beetroot

by Simone Kelly

Deep red and full of goodness – the super versatile beetroot is amazing! Eat it raw, steamed, roasted… or make a brownie with it!

Click on the bold to go directly to the recipe.

Enjoy!

Beetroot & Walnut Ragu

by Liz Child

This plant based ragu is delicious, nutritious and has a gorgeous texture. The earthy sweet beetroots, wholesome lentils and crunchy, nutty walnuts all mingle perfectly to make a really delicious, vibrant pasta sauce. It is wonderful in layers in a lasagne too. If you are not a fan of beetroot, simply swap it for mushrooms and carrots. We do have a lot of brilliant beetroots coming out of our own fields now though, so this recipe is a great way to enjoy this locally grown, seasonal vegetable. Beetroots are brimming with goodness – iron, potassium, antioxidants and more!

Liz x

Ingredients (serves 6)

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely diced
  • 3 sticks of celery, finely diced
  • 250g beetroot, finely diced
  • 150g raw green/brown lentils, rinsed (or use two tins of cooked lentils)
  • 100g walnuts, crushed/crumbled into lentil sized pieces
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
  • 1/2 tsp oregano
  • 2 tbsp capers, finely chopped
  • 1 glass of red wine
  • 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato puree
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 500ml vegetable stock

Method

  1. In a wide, heavy bottomed pan, on a medium heat, cook the onion, celery and beetroot with the olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Stir often and after around 8 minutes, the vegetables should be softened.
  2. Then add the lentils, walnuts and flavourings (the garlic, capers, fennel seeds, bay leaves, oregano, chilli and thyme). Stir and cook for a couple of minutes to wake up the flavours in the seasoning. Then add the glass of wine and let it bubble until it is nearly evaporated.
  3. Pour in the tin of tomatoes, the tomato puree and the vegetable stock and pop the lid on the pot. Simmer for 30 minutes or until the lentils are soft and the sauce is rich. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and keep an eye on the liquid levels, you may need to add a splash of water if it starts to look dry.
  4. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed with more salt or pepper and serve over freshly cooked pasta. Enjoy!

Feta & Lentil Stuffed Beetroot

by Lou Robbie

Growing up we always had baked and filled potatoes or mushrooms but never beetroot. In fact beetroot in our house usually came pickled in a jar. Beetroot usually gets the job as side veg but here it’s the star of the show.

Beetroots are an all year round veg, hearty and filling and full of goodness. If you get nice big beetroots in your box why not give this recipe a go. It’s sweet from the beets and salty from the feta and toasty from the spices. topped with crunchy walnuts its a complete meal.

Enjoy,

Lou 🙂

Serves 4 as a main

  • 4 large raw beetroot– leave the skin on 
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 onion finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic finely chopped 
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin 
  • ¼ teaspoon chilli flakes 
  • Small pinch salt & pepper
  • 400g tin puy lentils- rinsed and drained 
  • 100g feta cheese crumbled 
  • Zest ½ lemon 
  • 50g chopped walnuts
  1. Wash the whole beetroots and slice in half. 
  2. Roast or steam the beetroot and cook until it pierces easily with a knife. 
  3. Preheat your oven to 180C.
  4. In the meantime make the lentil filling. 
  5. Warm a frying pan on medium heat, add the oil, diced onions and garlic and sauté until soft – 5-10 minutes. 
  6. Add paprika, cumin, chilli, salt and pepper, cook for a few minutes. 
  7. Add the drained and rinsed tinned lentils and cook on a low heat for a further 10 minutes. 
  8. With a spoon scoop out the centre of the beetroot, dice it and add it to the lentil mix. 
  9. Fold through half the crumbled feta and lemon zest. Check the seasoning add more salt or pepper if needed. 
  10. Fill the beetroot shells with the lentil filling, top with more feta and some walnuts- there may be some filling left over.
  11. You can bake, grill or air fry the stuffed beetroot to finish it. Make sure its hot in the middle and the walnuts and feta are toasted on top. 
  12. Serve with your favourite sauce and greens on the side. 
  13. Serve one half as a starter or 2 halves as a main. 

Beet Bourguignon

by Liz Child

This stew is so hearty and delicious. The depth of flavour from the combination of sweet beetroots, earthy mushrooms, nutty lentils, red wine, garlic and herbs makes a really memorable dish which you’ll be making over and over again. This meat-free version of beef bourguignon packs just as much punch in the flavour department, as well as many more nutrients. Lentils are cheap and nutritious, bringing lots of fibre, protein, B vitamins and iron to your plate. Our Irish beetroots are rich in antioxidants, folate and nitrates. Mushrooms contain many important vitamins, minerals and antioxidants too. All in all, you can be assured that this plant based version of the classic French stew is doing you good.

Liz x

Ingredients (serves 4)

  • 1 large red onion, roughly diced (shallots or white onions work fine here too)
  • 1 whole bulb of garlic, cloves separated & peeled
  • 250g mushrooms, halved or quartered
  • 300g beetroot, scrubbed & roughly diced
  • a generous drizzle of olive oil
  • salt and black pepper to taste
  • 200g green lentils, rinsed
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 5 sprigs of thyme
  • 250ml red wine
  • 500ml vegetable stock
  • 1 tbsp capers
  • mashed potatoes to serve

Method

  1. In a large pot, mix the onion, garlic, beetroot and mushroom, then oil and season with salt and pepper. Now, if you have the oven on, you can roast these ingredients for around 20 minutes until they are just soft and starting to take on some delicious caramelisation. If you’d rather not put the oven on, you can sauté these ingredients on a medium heat on the stove top instead.
  2. Now place the pot over a high heat and add the lentils, wine, bay leaves, thyme sprigs and capers. Stir for a few minutes to cook out the wine and then add the vegetable stock. Cover the pot and turn down to simmer for 20 or 30 minutes, until the lentils are cooked through. Stir occasionally to ensure the lentils don’t catch and add a splash more water if needed.
  3. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed with more salt or pepper. Then serve with creamy mashed potatoes and some seasonal greens. Enjoy!

Beetroot & Black Bean Burgers with root veg chips

by Liz Child

Embrace the new harvests of autumnal vegetables and make this hearty beetroot bean-burger alongside chips made from carrots, parsnips, potatoes, swede, celeriac… We still have our own grown tomatoes and lettuce available too to add some crunch and freshness to your burger. This really is the best time of year for Irish vegetables with an abundance of summer and winter veg available at the same time.

Liz x

Ingredients (serves 4)

  • 1 tin of black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 50g porridge oats
  • 2 tbsp ground cumin
  • 2 tbsp paprika
  • 2 tsp garlic granules
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp olive oil (plus extra for drizzling over the chips)
  • 250g raw beetroot, finely grated
  • 50g or so of chickpea flour
  • root veg of your liking (eg potato, carrot, swede, parsnip, celeriac) cut into chips and seasoned with salt, pepper and olive oil
  • burger buns, salad and sauces of your choice eg mayonnaise, ketchup, lettuce, pickles, tomato, onion, cheese slices…

Method

  1. Turn your oven on to 200C and line a large baking sheet with baking parchment.
  2. In a mixing bowl, squish together the beans, oats, beetroot, seasoning and olive oil. Your clean hand is the best tool for this. The mixture will most likely be quite wet and sticky at this stage. Add chickpea flour (or more oats), a couple of tbsp at a time and keep squishing until you achieve a texture that is reminiscent of minced meat and is able to form into patties. I used around 50g of chickpea flour but depending on the juiciness of your beetroots you may need more or less.
  3. Divide the mixture into 4 and shape into neat patties on one side of your baking dish. Spread the root veg chips on the other side and bake in the oven for around 20 minutes or until both the chips and the burgers are cooked through.
  4. Assemble the burgers into buns with your favourite toppings and sauces and enjoy with the chips on the side.

Beetroot Hummus w/ Toasted Tortilla Chips

by Lou Robbie

Big beautiful earthy beetroots full of flavour, sweetness and goodness! If you’re not familiar with cooking them from raw then cook them like a potato. Steam, boil or roast and you won’t go too far wrong.

Steaming beetroots is a great way to lock in the nutrients and a gentle way to cook your beetroots. When they pierce easily with a knife they are ready. Cool and store them in the fridge until you’re ready to make this hummus.

The colour of this hummus was gorgeously pink and vibrant!

Serve as a dip with tortilla chips, as a side on a mezze plate, as a dressing with a lentil and goat cheese salad or a topping on an open sandwich with roasted veg.

Enjoy,

Lou 🙂

  • 300g raw beetroot
  • 1 tin of cooked chickpeas drained – (400g)
  • 1 clove garlic grated
  • 1/2 lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon light tahini
  • 2 tablespoon light oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2-3 large tortilla wraps
  • light oil
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds – optional

To make the hummus

  1. Begin by cooking the raw beetroots. Wash the beetroot and cut the tops off, keep the skin on if you wish. Quarter and steam in a pot for 40 mins, or until they piece easily with a knife. (I have a powerful blender so I keep the skins on for this recipe, peel if you wish)
  2. Cool the beets and store in the fridge until you are ready to make the hummus.
  3. Once cooled add the beetroot to a blender along with the drained chickpeas, grated garlic clove, lemon juice, tahini, oil and add a pinch of salt and pepper.
  4. Blend the hummus until it’s smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.

To make the tortilla chips and toasted sesame seeds.

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Have a couple of large baking trays at hand.
  2. Simply cut the tortilla wraps into triangles. Do this by cutting the wraps in half. Then quarters then eights.
  3. Lay the triangles on the trays, space them out so they don’t overlap.
  4. Spray or drizzle with oil and sprinkle with paprika.
  5. Toast in the oven for 5-10 minutes, keep a close eye on them. When they are lightly toasted they are ready.
  6. To toast the sesame seeds put them on a tray and toast for 5-10 minutes until golden.

To serve:

Add the beetroot hummus to a bowl, top with toasted sesame seeds, if you wish and the toasted tortilla chips.

Warm Rainbow Salad

by Liz Child

A warm salad for those chilly last summer days. Any leftovers can be packed up for lunch the next day too. We love adding beans or lentils to as many meals as we can. Pulses are affordable, nutrient-rich powerhouses and the crops are very planet friendly too. A win, win, win! Do you include lots of pulses in your diet?

Get a rainbow of vegetables delivered plastic free to your door here!

Liz x

Ingredients (serves 2 as a big lunch or 4 as sides)

For the roasted roots:

  • 3 beetroot, scrubbed & chopped into bites
  • 2 carrots, scrubbed and chopped into bites
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp fennel seeds (or use caraway, cumin or any herb/spice you prefer)
  • 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp honey/maple syrup
  • salt and pepper to taste

For the sautéd chard:

  • 7 or 8 large rainbow chard leaves
  • 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

To serve:

  • 1 tin green lentils, warmed and drained
  • 1 heaped tbsp wholegrain mustard

Method

  1. Turn your oven on to 200C and find a deep baking dish.
  2. Tumble your chopped carrots and beetroot into the baking dish. Add the olive oil, vinegar, fennel seeds, honey, salt and pepper and mix well. Place the dish in the oven to roast for 20 minutes or so until just tender.
  3. While the roots are roasting, prepare the chard. Use a knife to separate the stalks from the greens. Cut the colourful stalks into bite sized pieces and place in a frying pan with the chopped garlic, oil, slat and pepper. Sauté for a few minutes until tender. The roughly chop the greens and add to the pan with a small splash of water. Stir for a few minutes to steam-fry and wilt the greens.
  4. When the roasted roots are cooked to your liking, remove the dish from the oven and stir in the mustard, lentils and chard. Serve warm or cold.

Beetroot and Carrot Fritters w/ Roasted Chickpeas and Tahini Dressing

by Lou Robbie

Beetroots grow very happily in Irish soil. They are earthy and sweet and juicy and full of flavour. You can boil, steam or roast them to eat as a wholesome side veg, to make into a puree or beautiful pink hummus. I love to grate them to use raw in a salad or they go perfectly in these tasty fritters accompanied by the grated carrot.

You can whip these fritters up in about 20 minutes. I recommend using the fine side of your box grater, they cook quicker that way. Eat them solo or add some crunchy chickpeas, local leaves and a tahini dressing to make it a meal.

By seasoning with salt and pepper you get the real taste of the vegetables. When you use quality ingredients the natural flavours shine through.

I’ve made a tahini yoghurt dressing or try Liz’s Vegan Garlic Mayo.

Lou 🙂

For the fritters: (Makes 8-10 approx – serves 4 as a starter)

  • 2 raw beetroot, peeled
  • 2 raw carrots, peeled
  • 4 scallions (green onions), cleaned
  • Pinch salt
  • Pinch pepper
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons self raising flour, more if needed. (Rice or gram flour work here too, just add ½ tsp of baking powder) 
  • Oil to fry

For the roasted chickpeas: 

For the tahini dressing: 

  • 1 cup of yoghurt (use dairy or non dairy alternative)
  • 2 tablespoons light tahini
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
  • 1/2 lemon, zest and juice
  • Salt and pepper to taste

To serve: 

  • Green leaves, washed
  • Cucumber ribbons (made using a vegetable peeler)

For the chickpeas:

  1. Preheat the oven 180℃.
  2. Open the can of chickpea and drain really well. Tip: You can reserve the aqua faba (chickpea juice) to make a sweet dessert like pavlova.
  3. Pour the chickpeas onto a tray lined with parchment paper. Using kitchen paper dry the chickpeas really well. 
  4. Make up the spice mix by adding the paprika, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper to a small bowl. Mix with a spoon. Then sprinkle over the chickpeas. You can add more salt later if needed. 
  5. Drizzle with oil and roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes. Check and shake the tray every 10 minutes. 
  6. The chickpeas will be crunchy when you’ve roasted them. They are best eaten on the day they are roasted but if using the next day pop in the oven again for 10 minutes so they are warm and crunchy. Keep them in an air tight jar in your cupboard. 

For the fritters: 

  1. Begin by peeling and grating the beetroot and carrot, use the fine side of the box grater. Tip: Hold the raw beetroot with kitchen paper so your hands don’t turn pink. Add to a mixing bowl. 
  2. Finely chop the scallions and add this to the bowl. Crack in the egg, add salt and pepper, sprinkle in the flour. Fold all the ingredients together.
  3. Warm a non stick frying pan on a medium heat, lightly oil. Add a spoon of the beetroot mix and flatten with the back of the spoon, cook 3 fritters at a time. Fry for a couple of minutes and flip and cook for a few minutes more. Remove with a spatula onto a plate lined with kitchen paper. Repeat with the rest of the mix. 

For the tahini dressing: 

  1. Simply add the yoghurt, tahini, lemon zest and juice, maple syrup or honey, salt and pepper to a bowl and mix well with a spoon. 

To serve: 

Add some washed green leaves to a serving bowl, add 2-3 fritters per portion. Scatter on the chickpeas, dollop over the tahini dressing, peel some cucumber ribbons and bundle on tip and add a swirl of olive oil.