Golden Beet 'Fries' With Spinach
This is a simple dish and a simple variation on a dish I have made earlier with cooked red beets in their own tender greens, but this one is to me nicer and has the virtue of being raw.
GOLDEN BEET FRIES WITH SPINACH
I peeled the golden beets and sliced thinly, then stacked a few at a time and sliced down the stack to produce what are either thick matchsticks or skinny ‘fries’. (With the delicate golden colour of the beets they look more like fries, so that’s what we call them at home.) I then chopped up a couple of handfuls of baby spinach and tossed it with the beets. For the dressing I used a mix of condiments – which should be mixed to your taste.
(NOTE: Not all my condiments are raw as yet, so please substitute your own ingredients accordingly if you prefer.)
The Dressing:
Raw cider vinegar
Small amount Dijon mustard or similar
Plain horseradish (from a jar), to taste
1/2 to 1 tsp Raw agave nectar
Mix just enough of this to lightly coat the beets and the spinach but be carefully not to drown the dish in it.
Pour the dressing onto the vegetables, toss thoroughly and serve at room temperature or chilled.
PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM STACKS WITH VEGETABLE PUREE
I adore portobello mushrooms – and the firm texture is part of that. We had one each as part of our lunch today, topped with brandywine heirloom tomato slices, onion slivers, green zebra heirloom tomato slices, and finally topped with a vegetable puree (see below).
But first I sprinkled a little Braggs Aminos (soy liquid) and lemon juice over them and turned them in the juice to coat on both sides. I left them for a while to take in some of the flavour on the outside – after all, they’re pretty thick mushrooms. It would take a while to marinate thoroughly and we were hungry. Besides, we like them firm 🙂 I did pop them into a very very slightly warmed over to help the process a bit, but not for long.
Slice the tomatoes, onion, etc., and when ready to eat pile them onto the portobellos. Meanwhile, prepare the puree for the top.
For the puree, I mixed a number of vegetables and seasonings together (and please continue to bear in mind that all my seasonings/condiments are not yet raw):
VEGETABLE PUREE
half a small to medium carrot
a chunk of zucchini
chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
half a celery stalk
a small slice of onion
1 tomato
1/4 cup raw cashews
two or three Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes or to taste
1 or 2 Tbsp flaxseed meal
ground cayenne pepper to taste
lemon juice to taste
– and/or whatever else suits your fancy.
Puree the lot in a blender, adding just enough water to let it blend properly (because you want it thicker rather than thinner) and add to the top of the
vegetables on the portobellos just before serving. Eat immediately.
We declared this to be a keeper!
Dessert? Some lovely fresh strawberries!
Oh we are so very much enjoying eating all this lovely fresh produce. What a lovely time of year it is!
