Just Beet It!

I recently incorporated beet juice in my daily routine. Now, every trip to the restroom reminds me of this hilarious Portlandia sketch. That is all.

Vegan MoFo: Friday Fridge Cleanup

In anticipation of our massive Thanksgiving grocery run, I wanted to prepare a dinner that would use most of the produce in the crisper drawers. Here’s what I had to work with:

Leeks
Kale
Beets
Carrots
Celery
Avocado

I also had open packages of smoked tofu and silken tofu that I wanted to finish.

The result of my self-imposed culinary challenge was quite tasty and very filling. The smoked tofu and avocado went into a sandwich on a sprouted grain bagel (from French Meadow) with some cashew cheese spread and olive tapenade. The beet roots made a lovely batch of chips. The beet greens and kale were wilted in olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper. Everything else went into a stock pot to make a soup.

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Creamy Leek Soup Recipe

3 tbsp olive oil
3 leeks, white parts only, sliced and washed
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup white wine
8 cups vegetable broth
salt, pepper, cayenne to taste
1 cup silken tofu

In a stock pot, saute vegetables in olive oil over medium high until brown. This will take about 15 minutes.

Deglaze pot with wine. Add broth and spices. Bring soup to boil, reduce heat and cover for 30 minutes.

Add tofu and puree soup with an immersion blender or transfer to regular blender or food processor. Be very careful when handling the hot liquid!

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Oven Roasted Beet Chips

I used to HATE beets. By hate, I mean I never tried them but still claimed that they taste horrible. Last year, I finally decided to give beets a chance. My first beet experiment was a roasted risotto that completely changed my opinion of the little purple root vegetable. Since then, I have eaten beets in a variety of preparations, including raw.

These oven roasted chips are a quick and easy way to enjoy beets.

 

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Oven Roasted Beet Chips Recipe

 

4 medium beets

1 tbsp salt

seasoning of your choice, I used Essence of Emeril (optional)

 

Preheat oven to 450.

Scrub beets with a potato brush and remove the tops and roots (you don’t need to scrub them).

Cut beets in 1/4″ slices (see note)

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using an oil mister or a pastry brush, coat parchment with olive oil.

Place beet slices on baking sheet and coat with olive oil.

Bake for approximately 25 minutes, flipping after 15 minutes. (see note)

Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle salt and seasoning.

Note: I prefer these chips to be crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. If you like them crunchier, you can slice the beets thinner and/or bake a little longer.

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