I adore finding new and healthful ways to incorporate beetroot into my weekly diet. Beetroot is often over-looked as an ‘I-don’t-know-what-to-do-with-it’ type food. Well worthy of our attention, it is ridiculously healthy – right up there with the healthiest of foods.

Hailed as a superfood, the humble beetroot (also known as beet) is a little treasure trove of health-affirming goodness.

It seems that a lot of people never venture further than pickled beetroot – not realising that there is a whole culinary beetroot world out there waiting to be discovered.

Beets come in different colours (like white and orange), although they are most commonly known for their deep reddish/purple colour. The unique, earthy tap roots are the part that people most often eat, yet it is useful to know that the green leaves are totally edible and filled with beneficial nutrients too.

Beetroot is…

• rich in nutrients
• has been shown to support healthy liver function
• helps to lower blood pressure
• has excellent anti-oxidant properties

It is also very versatile and goes well in salads, juices, stews, bakes. If you are interested to learn more about the health benefits of beetroots check out this article here: Health Benefits of Beetroot

In my latest culinary beetroot adventure, I demonstrate how to make a delicious, gluten-free, vegan, baked-sweet-bell-pepper, stuffed with a medley of other health affirming foods like beetroot, coriander, and sunflower seeds.

They are easy to make. First of all, we’ll clean our beetroots if needed and then we are going to top and tail them, cutting off any tough bits. Then we will slice up the beetroots (leaving on the skins). Next, we will toss the slices on to a baking tray and bake on a medium to high heat for about a half hour. This helps to soften them a little whilst bringing out a nice depth of flavour.

You will need to grind down the sunflower seeds in a food processor or nut mill until you get a rustic meal. It doesn’t have to be super finely ground although it should start to resemble a sort of rustic ‘flour’.

Then we will add a teaspoon of sea salt; peel and crush or finely chop a couple of cloves of garlic; finely chop the small red onion and finely chop the coriander leaves and put these to the side in a bowl.

Slicing the sweet peppers is easy. We’ll cut right down the middle and take out the seeds.

Once the beetroot has baked it will need to be blended down. I use a hand blender although a jug blender or food processor works fine too.

Then we are ready to mix everything together in a bowl. As well as mixing, it can be helpful to use the downward pressing motion of a spoon to get it all to combine and stick together. The moisture of the beetroot will help everything to combine nicely. You can add an optional tablespoon of coconut cream here if you like.

Then we’ll stuff into the peppers and pop into a preheated oven (gas mark 6 or 400F/200C) for about 25 minutes. If the peppers don’t seem soft(ish) enough at this stage we can just bake a little longer if needed. 

A helpful video guide on how to make these from a few years back (but still as relevant for today!!!)…

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Sweet Stuffed Pepper with Beet & Sunflower Seeds (video) gluten-free, vegan

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

A tasty baked sweet pepper stuffed with a healthy medley of beets, sunflower seeds and coriander leaves. This serves perfectly with a thick sauce like my Fresh Ginger Sauce with Coconut and Coriander.

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Ingredients

• 4 small - medium beetroots
• 175g (1 1/2 cups) hulled sunflower seeds
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 large garlic cloves
• 1 small red onion
• Large handful coriander leaves (cilantro)
• 2 tablespoons coconut cream (optional)
• 1 tablespoon tomato puree (optional)
• 2 large sweet bell peppers

Instructions

Please see my video for a helpful guide on how to make these.

1. Top and tail the beetroots and cut off any other tough bits.
2. Slice up the beetroots (1cm slices should be fine). Toss the slices on to a baking tray and bake on a medium to high heat for about a half hour. This softens them a little and helps to bring out a nice depths of flavour.
3. Grind down the sunflower seeds in a food processor or nut mill until you get a rustic meal. It doesn’t have to be super finely ground although it should start to resemble a sort of rustic ‘flour’.
4. Add the sea salt.
5. Peel and crush or finely chop a couple of cloves of garlic.
6. Finely chop the small red onion.
7. Finely chop the coriander leaves.
8. Slice the sweet peppers down the middle and take out the seeds.
9. Once the beetroot has baked blend it down. You can use a hand blender, jug blender or food processor for this.
10. Mix everything together in a bowl. As well as mixing it is helpful to use the downward pressing motion of a spoon to get it all to combine and stick together. The moisture of the beetroot will help everything to combine. 
11. Stuff the mixture into the peppers.
12. Pop into a preheated oven (gas mark 6 or 400F/200C) for about 25 minutes. Make sure the peppers are soft(ish) and bake a little longer if needed. 

Check out my video guide for a step by recipe guide on how to make these...

Did you make this recipe?

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 Remember that this recipe works a real treat with sauce,
especially my ‘Fresh Ginger Sauce with Coconut & Coriander’.
Check out the recipe for that here:
Fresh Ginger Sauce

I do hope that you enjoy and that it
inspires you to get creative in your own conscious kitchen.

with love

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