Beetroot Hummus – Lusciously Pink!
Posted on April 29, 2010 by Nina Timm in vegetarian
Share Beets or beetroot as we refer to it here in South Africa makes the most beautiful hummus, The color is this awesome, luscious pink and when I saw it in the blender the first time, I knew I had to go and find a piece of clothing in that color, it was just that gorgeous to me. But before I get too carried away, let’s get back to beets and my pink hummus….
Beets or beetroot is my ultimate energy booster. Whenever I feel tired and flat, I will whip up a quick beetroot drink and in no time, I will be as fit as a fiddle.
We like beetroot boiled, roasted, grated, in salads and I have even made beetroot chutney which is delicious on a sandwich with some cold meat.
Beets ( Beta vulgaris) are part of the amaranth family and although there are quite a variety of beets cultivated around the world, I think the most popular one for us is the common red garden beet or the beetroot. I would not mind getting my hands on a golden beetroot, but I have not had much success finding it on our organic markets.
Beets have unbelievable health benefits and here are but a few:
– very rich in potassium
– contains Vitamin C
– it is an excellent source of folate
– the leafy tops are rich in beta-carotene, iron and calcium
– contains Vitamin C
– it is an excellent source of folate
– the leafy tops are rich in beta-carotene, iron and calcium
What makes this vegetable even more amazing is that the whole plant is edible, from the leaves and stems of young plants that are steamed briefly and eaten as a vegetable or older leaves and stems that can be stir-fried to the root of the plant that we use in salads etc.
Beetroot has a few other uses that I am sure you did not know about.
– betanins in the roots are used as red colorants to intensify the color of tomato sauces, jellies, jams or cereals
– beetroot can be used to make wine
– beetroot pulp is fed to horses that are in severe training or that are allergic to dust
– medicinal purposes. Although eating beetroot alone is no cure for cancer, beetroot should be included in a balanced diet, because it can assist with the following:
– Lowering the cholesterol
– Liver function
– the fight against cancer
– Aids tissue growth
– reduces risk of osteoperoses
– improves sex drive
– stabilizes bloodsugar
– helps with anemia and fatigue
– protects artery walls because it has high antioxidant properties
By now I am sure you are beginning to wonder is if this is a food site or some kind of a medical journal, so let me get right back to the food.
Beetroot Hummus
Ingredients
2 tins of chickpeas – drained and washed under cold water
2 cloves of garlic – roughly chopped
1 tbsp tahini
zest and juice of a lemon
olive oil
2 cooked and peeled beetroots
salt/pepper
Place all the ingredients, except the olive oil in a processor and blitz until you have a thick paste. While the machine is running, drizzle about 100ml of olive oil into the hummus until you have a desired consistency. I served this with warm toasted ciabatta, thin slices of apple and crumbed feta cheese. My children gobbled this up in no time and I was pleased that they had a nutritious energy boosting lunch!
My love affair with beetroot is quite obvious if you look at some of the recipes I have concocted over the past 3 years of blogging.
-Wild Yeast baguette with beetroot, cottage cheese and leafy greens.-Blue cheese, avocado and beetroot Salad
Some of my other foodie b friends have also posted some beetroot recipes recently and I will share those with you too.
Facebook Comments
I love it! Red – the colour of love and life!
What a gorgeous colour! Much more appetising than the usual colour of humus…
Beetroot wine? Count me in!
Maar jy't vergeet dit genees ook vigs as jy dit saam met garlic & aartappels eet… 😉
This looks fantastic – (& foodstyling gorgeous as always).
I'll have to try it on my kids – not sure whether they'll love it or be horrified!
I like beetroot but have never really cooked it, so a new adventure for me!
They say you eat with your eyes first so I would love a huge bowl of this delicious hummus Nina.
That looks gorgeous Nina!!!! I am a huge beetroot fan so definitely going to try it! xxxx
Fantastic hummus! I love the color!
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The color is so appetizing! I like it so much!
What a brilliant colour, beets are delish and good for you. Next time, try grilling the scallions…then dip them in the hummus.
Very nice variation of hummus. This is a great idea. Thanks for introducing it.
What a beautiful color!
what an inventive idea to cook beetroot like that !! Pierre in Paris
I would love to try this beautiful and healthy hummus, what a great idea for beetroot, I never would have thought!
Gorgeous! What inspiration you give me. I'm a lover of beets (seems as though most are either lovers or haters) but I never seem to make them much at home. This is a great idea- love the slate filled with all that goo stuff- bagueette, cheese, apples, etc…
What a gorgeous color! I didn't even think of making hummus out of beetroot, but excellent idea!
Nina, so creative, love the vibrant color and the hummus must taste yummie since beets are sweet 🙂
Always looking for new ways with beets and this is excellent!
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