Golden beet, brown rice and arame salad
Last week in our organic veg box we got some amazing golden beetroots and my first thought was to roast them with some dijon. I have never had this before, and have no idea where it popped up from, but something about the sweet warmth of the beets and the hot, tart kick of the mustard made me want to cook it immediately as cooler autumn days set in.
The rest of the salad is a happy combination of what was in my fridge, and my favourite new thing to add to everything: tamari-soaked arame. Seaweed – and especially arame – is such a rich source of iodine, vital for thyroid function, and other essential minerals and I like to throw it on anything I can for busy days where I need maximum nutrient support. I also added some protein-rich pumpkin seeds for extra energy and a good dose of immune-boosting zinc. A scoop or two of ripe avocado keeps the good fats up and adds some soft creaminess to the salty sweet flavours.
Beets are the hero here and they are such a lovely autumn / winter staple. They are great for cleansing the blood, supporting the liver and promoting optimal detoxification, and their vibrant and beautiful colours never fail to enchant.
You can serve this warm or at room temperature.
Happy cooking – next up it’s stuffed baby squash with quinoa, apricot and almond and we can hardly stop eating them long enough for me to blog the recipe…
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Serves 2
3 beetroots, peeled and halved
a drizzle of olive oil
1 cup short grain brown rice
2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
2 handfuls kale, or any greens, chopped
a handful pumpkin seeds
a handful of arame, soaked
1 tbsp tamari
1/2 ripe avocado
salt and pepper to season
dressing:
1 tbsp dijon mustard
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (plus a little more for drizzling)
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Place your beets in a roasting tin, drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with some salt and roast for 30 minutes or so, until soft and golden, turning over half way through.
Meanwhile, cook your rice in the stock until soft but with some bite; you may need to add a little more water to stop it drying out. Drain and run a small drizzle of apple cider vinegar through it before setting aside.
While this is happening you can also steam your kale: I like to steam mine in the steamer pan while the rice is cooking to save time. It only needs two minutes and you don’t want to overdo it; when it is dark green and tender remove it from the heat and set aside to cool.
To prepare the arame, place it in a saucepan and cover it with water. Bring to the boil and simmer for five minutes, then drain it and add the tamari. Leave aside to marinade.
Finally, prepare the dressing by mixing all the ingredients in a small glass. When the beets are done, slice them lengthways into six or eight and coat them with 1 tablespoon of the dressing in a bowl.
To assemble the salad, mix the rice, kale, pumpkin seeds and beets and top with scoops of ripe avocado. Drizzle with the rest of the dressing, sprinkle with a little salt (to taste) and finish with the tamari arame.
Serve immediately.
