When it comes to dreaming up new recipes for The Mostly Vegan, sometimes I’ve got my game plan in place weeks before. Case in point, my Pumpkin Maple Spelt Scones from a few weeks back, which were the result of multiple weeks of serious scone testing. So serious.
Sometimes, however, I find myself throwing together random ingredients for dinner, and miraculously ending up with something so downright tasty that I declare, “this must go on the blog!!!” It’s quite dramatic, really. This week’s inspiration all started with the beets I had sitting in my fridge’s veggie drawer, demanding to be used. You see, just like my love hate relationship with regular, white quinoa – thank goodness for the red stuff – I also have a pretty strong aversion to beets. I know, I know, they’re so healthy, and it seems like everybody just lurvs them so much. But not me. You know how beets are always described as earthy? Well, mushrooms are earthy. And I totally dig mushrooms. Beets taste like dirt, straight up garden soil.
But – and this is a big but – you know what makes beets taste less like dirt? Peeling and roasting them until they’re caramelized and crispy, just like you would brussels sprouts, or potatoes, or grapes. It still surprises me how roasting vegetables can totally transform their flavor profile. In this case, less dirt, more yum.
Stovetop grilled young carrots seemed like a good addition along with the aforementioned red quinoa for chew and protein. A couple of handfuls of kale made it’s way in as well. Woman cannot live on veggies alone though, and I knew I needed some type of lip smacking dressing to bring everything together. For some reason, I had horseradish on the brain. “I bet thyme roasted beets would taste quite yummy with horseradish,” I whispered to no one in particular. Because, I was like totally alone in the kitchen.
I used the base recipe for my Dill Ranch Dressing to craft a creamy, dreamy, horseradishy topping. If you’re new to horseradish or wary of spicy foods, add it slowly to the dressing and taste for heat as you go. Fresh horseradish, which I used, becomes less spicy once it’s grated and left refrigerated for any period of time. The pre-jarred stuff is usually mixed with vinegar and oils which affect the flavor as well.
Once I’d thrown it all together in a spherical serving vehicle… grain bowl revelation. The beets and carrots play off the horseradish perfectly. It’s not too sweet, not too spicy. The red quinoa adds that perfect hearty chew and the kale, a slight bitterness.
I want this everyday for all my days, for lunch and dinner. It’s one of those meals that tastes sooo good and oh, so healthy, all at the same time. It’s my personal contribution to the hippie bowl movement.
- 1½ cups prepared red quinoa
- 3 large beets, peeled and sliced into half moons
- 1 bunch young carrots, sliced in half lengthwise
- 3 handfuls kale, roughly torn
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, divided
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, divided
- salt and pepper
- ½ cup raw unsalted cashews, soaked for 2 - 24 hours
- ½ cup full fat coconut milk (add ¼ cup more for a runnier dressing)*
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2-4 tablespoons freshly grated horseradish (add gradually and test for spiciness)
- 2 tablespoon fresh flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and toss beets with 2 teaspoons olive oil and a tablespoon of thyme leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 30-35 minutes, until edges turn crispy.
- Toss carrots with remaining teaspoon of olive oil and tablespoon of thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add carrots and cook until fork tender, about 10 minutes, tossing frequently to brown on all sides. When carrots are done, remove from pan and lower heat to medium. Add kale and saute until just wilted, about 2 minutes.
- Divide quinoa, beets, carrots, and kale between two bowls. Drizzle with horseradish cream.
- Combine drained cashews, coconut milk, lemon juice, horseradish, garlic and salt and pepper in a high speed blender. Mix until very smooth, about 2 minutes, then add parsley. Blend for 10 seconds more.
