Roots are amazing nutrition-dense vegetables. Beets, turnips, carrots, sweet potatoes, onion, garlic, radish, yam, ginger, artichoke, celeriac, etc. They grow under ground which means they absorb good nutrition from the soil, full of antioxidants, vitamins and iron. Root veggies also have a slow-burning carbohydrates and fibre, which leaves you full longer and regulates blood sugar level.
Red sexy beets are available all year around, but best from summer to autumn. They’re full of beta-carotene and betalains, which are antioxidants and anti-inflammatory. I love using beetroots for its earthy and sweet flavour, great when roasted, pickled, grilled or even raw. Beets go really well with citrus fruits, berries, goat cheese, cumin, nuts and tahini.
I made this decadent chocolate cake using grated raw beetroot, cacao powder and almond meal. It is gluten-free, refined sugar-free and guilt-free. Beautiful rustic texture, moist and chocolatey! It will be also nice to add a shot of espresso or ground coffee for the dark and intense flavour next time.
Ingredients
1 cup of grated beetroot
20g of flaxseed meal
20g chia seeds
2 eggs
50g almond meal
50g buckwheat flour
50g raw cacao powder
1 tsp of grated ginger
1/2 cup of maple syrup
1 tbsp of coconut oil
a pinch of salt
1 tsp of baking soda
1/2 tsp of baking powder
50g water
Add flaxseed meal, chia seeds and water into a bowl and let it sit for 10-15 minutes until it’s set. Add eggs and maple syrup in and whisk gently. Then add other ingredients and combine well with a spatula. Pour the mixture into a prepared baking tin and bake in the preheated oven (180) for 40 minutes or until cooked. Put a dollop of cream cheese frosting on top to serve.
