Beets are amazing! I can't say enough about their sweet, earthy taste. As a child I hated beets, I had only ever had the pickled kind from a jar and I thought they were disgusting, actually I still do. It really wasn't until about 2 years ago that I tried beets again and it was love at first bite! Speaking of love, for Valentine's Day I roasted beets, cut them into hearts and sandwiched them around goat cheese with a sprinkle of sea salt just to prove my undying adoration for the root vegetable.

I am not a huge fan of Valentine's Day, I don't think that we should delegate a day and demand that people show their love, we should show our love everyday. For instance, on a Tuesday with a continuation of the usage of delightful beets but in a falafel!

So in the spirit of all things red and tasty these delicious morsels were born, topped with a cucumber salad and wrapped in collard greens.

Now, no falafel is complete without the fixings and as much as I love beets, I also love hummus. I can eat it with a spoon, no carrots needed and no self respecting falafel sandwich doesn't have a little dab of hummus, some tahini and a liberal dose of hot sauce!

Falafels are a Middle Eastern food, originating in Egypt and traditionally made with Fava Beans. Falafel can be eaten as a snack, top a salad or eaten as a sandwich. Depending on where you get your falafel will determine the type of toppings available. Many traditional vendors add lettuce, tomato, onion, tahini and some form of hot sauce. Israeli falafels also add in pickled vegetables and often add a chili oil as opposed to hot sauce and Greek falafels tend to add tzatziki just because it is delicious! This falafel is topped with a cucumber salad that is fresh and simple to put together and increases the alkalinity and nutrition content. I also like it because I can eat it without the falafel or use it in another dish.

This post is filled with 3 recipes, all in the name of ,u undying love for beets and their versatility! Traditionally falafels are fried and these would be delightful done in that manner however, these are baked and just as lovely as our fried counterparts. Enjoy!

Beet Falafels

1 Beet, peeled and quartered

1 cup Garbanzo Beans (canned or pre-cooked)

1 Clove Garlic

2 tbs Cumin

1 tsp Ground Red Pepper

1 tsp Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

1/2 Lemon

2 tbs Tahini

1/4 cup Fresh Parsley

1/4 cup Garbanzo Bean Flour

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the beets in a Food Processor and give them a whirl to break them apart, add the garbanzo, tahini, garlic, cumin, lemon and salt, pulsing until broken down and starting to come together. Add the flour combining until a rough dough forms. Do not over process into a mouse as the falafels taste better with a little density to them. Spoon out into balls on a baking sheet, bake for 15 minutes or until brown.

Hummus

2 cans Organic Garbanzo Beans or 2 cups Sprouted Chickpeas, cooked with water reserved

1 Lemon, juiced

1/4 cup Tahini

1/4 cup Olive Oil

2 cloves Garlic

2 tbs Cumin

1 tsp Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

Place the garbanzo beans in a pot, cover with water and add a dash of baking soda. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer for about 1 hour or until the beans are mushy. Drain the beans, reserving a cup of cooking water. Add the beans (removing the skins is you desire), lemon, tahini, olive oil, garlic, cumin, and salt. Process until smooth, adding cooking water 1/4 cup at a time to your desired consistency. Taste, add more lemon, garlic or salt as needed.

Cucumber Salad

2 Cucumbers, chopped

4 Tomatoes, chopped

1 small Red Onion, chopped

1/2 Lemon, Juiced

2 tbs Olive Oil

2 tbs Fresh Parsley

1 tbs Dried Oregano

1 tsp Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

Add all the ingredients together, tossing to combine. Let sit for 1/2 hour for the flavors to develop.

Assembly

1 Collard Green Leaf

Beet Falafels

Hummus

Cucumber Salad

Tahini

Hot Sauce

Using a collard green leaf, remove the hard part of the stem with a sharp knife (lower 3rd), add a tablespoon of hummus to the leaf down the center, add a spoon of the cucumber salad and 3 beet falafels. Top with a drizzle of tahini and some hot sauce. Wrap the leaf around and enjoy and healthy eating!

Winter has finally arrived in the Northeast. It is a raging 10 degrees right now and I have to say that I am quite chilly and missing the mild weather of January. That being said, in order to warm up I needed something hot and comforting!

Risotto is one of those dishes that is creamy, labor intensive and oh so delicious but also usually filled with cream, butter, and cheese. This recipe embraced the goodness of steel cut oats combined with the delightful flavors of butternut squash, sage, miso and goat cheese for that extra tang and creaminess. The combination of flavors is divine as well as the nutrient level.

You might be asking, why steel cut oats? Steel cut oats are dense and chewy and pack a powerful punch of protein, fiber and vitamins and minerals and personally I like the texture. Oats are slightly acidic but because of the processing or lack there of of steel cut oats they generally provide enough benefits to counterbalance especially as this dish is loaded with so many other alkalinizing elements.

This dish is actually going to be brought in to work for a pot luck so hopefully it goes over well and everyone enjoys this healthy, savory alternative to risotto.

Butternut Squash, Caramelized Onion and Kale Steel Cut Oat Miso Risotto

1 large Butternut Squash, peeled and cubbed

3 tbs Olive Oil

2 tbs dried Sage

1 tsp dried Oregano

1 tsp Paprika

1 large Onion, Sliced

3 cloves Garlic, chopped

4 1/2 cups of Water

2 tbs Miso Paste

2 cups Steel Cut Oats

1 cup dry white wine (optional)

2 cups Kale, chopped

2 oz Goat Cheese

1/2 cup Toasted Walnuts

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Peel and cube the butternut squash, discarding the seeds. Toss with 1tbs Olive Oil, 1 tbs sage, the oregano, paprika, and a dash of pink Himalayan sea salt. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes, turning once until browned and tender.

Meanwhile, bring the water and miso to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Heat the remaining 2tbs olive oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add the onions and lower the heat. Saute for 5 minutes or until the onions become golden in color. Add the garlic and continue to saute for another 2 minutes. Add the steel cut oats and toast in the pan for 3 minutes until golden. Turn the heat back up to medium high.

At this time add the cup of wine or if omitting than a cup of warm miso broth. Stir until the liquid is absorbed. Continue to add 1/2 cup of the broth at a time, stirring until it is absorbed before adding more. This should take about 25 minutes and the oats will become very creamy. Remove from heat and stir in the remainder of the sage and the goat cheese.

Place the kale on top of the risotto and cover. Let steam for 2 minutes until slightly wilted. Top with the butternut squash, additional crumbled cheese and the toasted walnuts. Enjoy and healthy eating!