I love beetroot because it tastes fantastic and it’s good for you. Being married to an athlete I also try to use beetroot as much as I can because it is thought to be beneficial for athletes. You can do so much with beetroots and this is a very delicious way to serve it. This recipe might seem like a hassle but it really isn’t and the work you do put into this dinner will pay of because it is absolutely delicious.
Chicken
1 whole chicken
olive oil
salt and pepper
honey
butter
Place the chicken in an oven dish with a lid, pour over it some olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven at 200° for 45 minutes. Remove the lid, pour over 2-3 tablespoons of honey and put it back into the oven for 20-30 minutes but make sure not to overcook it. Every 10 minutes or so baste the chicken with the honeyed juices from the bottom of the pan. When the chicken is cooked through take it out of the oven and let it rest breast side down. If you do that the juices will find their way to the breasts and make them nice and juicy.
While the chicken rests you make the gravy. Pour the cooking juice into a saucepan and let it simmer for a while. Season with salt and pepper to taste. When you are happy with the flavor, beat in cold butter to thicken it a bit. You don’t want it to be thick as a regular gravy, it is very lovely with just a bit of butter.
Root vegetables
1 medium sweet potato
1 butternut squash
2 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 dried chilli
1 stalk of rosemary
salt
olive oil
Here you can use what ever root veggies you want, carrots, parsnips, celeriac or potatoes. This time I used a sweet potato and butternut squash. Start by chopping the garlic and rosemary and put in a pestle and mortar along with coriander seeds and chilli. Bash it up and add the oil and a bit of salt.
Cut the veggies into what ever size you like and the cooking time will vary accordingly, the smaller the pieces the shorter the time. Pour the flavored oil over the veggie and roast in the oven at 200° for around 20-40 minutes depending on the size of the pieces.
Beetroot and strawberry salad
1 small beetroot
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
salt
strawberries
spinach
toasted sunflower seeds
mint leaves
extra virgin olive oil
white balsamic vinegar (or the regular one if you don’t have white)
honey
dijon mustard
salt and pepper
You can use what ever sees or nuts you want, I like sunflower seeds but I have also used pecans and they were super delicious as well.
Start by putting the beetroot in some foil with a bit of oil, balsamic vinegar and salt. You can leave the skin on but I prefer taking it of because I think it sucks in more of the flavor of what ever you put in with it. Put it in the oven at 175° and cook for 1 1/2 hour. Remove from the oven and allow to cool down.
Arrange the spinach in a bowl or a big plate. Cut the beetroot into thin slices and place them on top of the spinach. Cut up the strawberries and pop the onto the salad. Sprinkle with a few mint leaves and sunflower seeds.
Mix together the oil, vinegar, honey and mustard with a bit of salt and pepper. I usually just use a jam jar and if there is anything left of the dressing I pop it in the fridge and use it the next time I’m having salad. I don’t really measure this but the ratio of oil to vinegar I like to use is one part vinegar to three parts oil. And the I just put a bit of honey and mustard to taste. Some like it sweeter but I like I bit of a kick from the mustard. It is all a matter of taste and you make this however you like it. Don’t pour the dressing over the salad until just before serving.
When all these things are put together they are heaven on a plate and healthy and good for the whole family.