Tag: cake

Roots and shoots

I was in the garden this morning, having a dreamy moment, doing the fun part I like best in veggie gardening which is the harvesting. As I was pulling beetroot out of the ground, two majestic cranes flew overhead. “Aaah.” I thought. “This must be SO symbolic!” A thin dark ribbon floated down from one of the cranes. In slow motion I watched as the wind changed and it headed in my direction.  Wake up and smell the organic fair trade coffee, hippy-girl, there is now bird poo in your hair. I took it as a good sign.  And also as a sign to wash my hair.

Beetroots are one of my favorite  winter roots , this purplish red veg is good for your everything. Read about it here

A lot of people forget all about the beetroots humble leaves. The leaves actually have more nutrients than the root. They are they same family as chard and spinach leaves, rich in chlorophyll, protein, calcium, magnesium, copper, sodium,fiber, beta carotene and vitamins A, B and C. They are slightly more bitter tasting than spinach, but nothing a bit of nutmeg and white sauce can’t sort out, or a crumble of feta on some fresh leaves in a salad.

There are endless recipes for beetroot. Winners in our family include beetroot cake (substitute carrots for beetroot  in a carrot cake recipe) with a cream-cheese icing, roasted beetroot with honey and fennel seed, beetroot leaf lasagna, homemade beetroot pizza – leaves and sliced root with mozzarella and fresh thyme, grated beetroot in coleslaw, oh I could go on for days. But don’t forget beetroot juice with ginger. carrot and apple. Or beetroot brownies, frozen yoghurt beetroot popsicle for kids, beetroot and goats cheese salad. OK I’ll stop now. Beetroot soup with Greek yoghurt. The end.

This UK website called Love Beetroot is all about beetroot (obviously) and has a great list of all these amazing fun facts on beetroot.

Our lovely friend was even growing them on a roof garden in the city.

Having a vegetable garden is kind of like that moment where you get pins and needles really badly in your legs just as your baby wakes up crying upstairs. You know its going to be tough, and you will probably have to get down on your hands and knees for part of the way, but you know the rewards are going to be amazing:  A happy baby and fresh organic produce. Those two things always make me smile. And a happy baby that eats your homegrown beetroot? You just cant beet that 🙂

Beetroots in Good Hope Gardens

by Good Hope Nursery