Simply Sauteed Beets

Ingredients:
1 basket fresh Beets, scrubbed
2 tablespoons Butter
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Cut the tops and bottoms off of the beets. Place in a steaming apparatus of what you have. Cover and steam until fork tender, about 30 minutes. Remove and allow to cool enough to handle. Using a spoon, carefully remove the skin. Cut into even wedges.

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add in the butter, the beets, and the salt. Stir/toss occasionally for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Vegan Tofu Fry with Roasted Root Vegetables

I needed to use up my 2 blocks of tofu today or tomorrow, got home to realize I didn’t have the typical stir-fry vegetables. It actually turned out quite good! Serves 8 2 cups brown rice 2 beets chopped into cubes 2 medium sized yams chopped into cubes 2 carrots chopped 3 mushrooms 1 zucchini chopped into cubes 1 onion chopped 2 cloves of garlic 2 TBSP chopped fresh ginger 1 block of tofu ¼ cup sesame oil ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce 2 TBSP cider vinegar 1 TBSP coconut oil Zest from 1 lemon Juice from the same Lemon Chopped Fresh cilantro Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Cook rice accordingly. Toss beets, carrots, yams with sesame oil and a pinch of salt, roast 40 minutes, add zucchini to the last 10 minutes.

Meanwhile combine soy sauce, remaining sesame oil, vinegar and zest in a bowl and toss tofu around about. Heat coconut oil in pan on high heat, cook tofu turning until brown, about 10-15 minutes (longer if you turn off the wrong burner).

In a separate pan sauté garlic, onion, ginger and mushrooms. Part way through I’m realizing I will not have a pan big enough to fry it all together.

Combine roasted vegetables, tofu, and onion mixture all together in one pan and sauté for a few minutes. Add lemon and cilantro to rice. Serve tofu mixture on top of rice. Bon Appetite!

Kale & Beets with Pecans

1 large bunch Kale, ribs removed, chopped
1 lb Beets, peeled and grated
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 to 1 teaspoon ginger
3-4 tablespoons of Pecans (you can toast them for about 3-4 minutes to improve flavour)
Orange zest and juice from one orange
Sea salt to taste

Gently clean the kale and beets under cool running water.
Remove the ribs from the kale and discard. Chop the kale leaves into 1/2-3/4 inch strips.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add garlic. Saute about 5 minutes until garlic and stems are softened.
Add the kale greens and saute adding ginger and salt to taste. (I recommend using freshly grated ginger but powdered ginger will work, as well.) Turn the greens in the pan using a large pair of tongs and add juiced orange. The water clinging to the washed greens is typically enough to steam them a bit but, if needed, you can add a few extra tablespoons. Saute until soft—about 5-7 minutes longer.
Serve sprinkled with toasted pecans and grated beets. A small amount of orange zest, if you have it, provides a colourful garnish for this dish

Pomegranate, Gold Beet, and Orange Salad

Makes 4 first-course servings
4 medium Gold Beets
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground Black Pepper
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup blood orange juice (from about 1 blood orange)
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses*
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
3 blood oranges, peeled, cut into1/4-inch-thick slices
1 cup pomegranate seeds (from one 11-ounce pomegranate)


Preheat oven to 400°F. Place beets in roasting pan and toss with 1 tablespoon oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add 1/4 cup water. Cover pan with foil; roast beets until knife easily pierces center, about 50 minutes. Cool. Peel beets and cut into 1/3-inch-thick wedges.
Whisk orange juice, pomegranate molasses, vinegar, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil in large bowl to blend. Season vinaigrette with salt and pepper.
Place onion in small bowl; cover with cold water. Soak onion 1 minute, drain, and squeeze dry in kitchen towel. Add beets, onion, orange slices, and pomegranate seeds to vinaigrette in bowl; toss. Season salad with salt and pepper.

Scarlet Poached Pears

serves 6

ingredients
2 cups Orange Muscat such as Essencia (from a 750-ml bottle)
1 medium red beet (1/4 pound), peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons fresh Lemon juice
1 (2-inch) cinnamon stick
2 Turkish bay leaves or 1 California
3 small firm-ripe pears, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cored
preparation

Bring wine, beet, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and bay leaves to a boil in a 1 1/2- to 2-quarts saucepan, stirring until sugar has dissolved.

Add pears and cover with a round of parchment paper. Simmer, turning occasionally, until pears are tender and liquid is syrupy, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer pears to a bowl. Discard cinnamon stick and bay leaves and pour syrup over pears. Cool completely in syrup, about 30 minutes.

Poached pears can be made 1 day ahead and chilled. Bring to room temperature before serving.