Pulp Friction

Inspiration comes from many places. And from people big and small – some of them grow fur.

One of the first recipes on my journey back to nourishing food in recent years came from an unlikely source. It was suggested by a furry friend of ours. Well, to be honest, this fuzzy pal of ours – let’s call him Alphons – didn’t literally say something like this: “Why don’t you try something with beets, Mag? They seem like a smart, nutritious choice. And I like them too.”

No, it was more like: The little guy eats tons of carrot weed and only the tender parts of fennel (organic, of course – only the best for the little prince), and we just can’t throw out all the rest of the perfectly edible vegetable parts. Plus, they smell really nice. Which is usually a sign that they are good to eat, right?

So that’s when I started experimenting with beet puree. And grated beets. And beet strips. I crushed them everywhere I could to get them into different foods. And what started out as a desperate measure to use up all the excess food that Alphons couldn’t – or shouldn’t – eat ended up being an ongoing love affair. Now we always have beets in the house because they are so versatile. You can make any kind of dish with them. Combine them with any kind of spicy or herbal theme.

Also, beets are an easy choice for baking, especially all the carrot varieties like white, yellow, orange or purple carrots and parsnips. Just cook them well and work from the mash after it cools. Think of it as a base for a dough and add the attributes you love in a cake or pastry.

So, yes, sometimes true love requires carrot (weed) and (carrot) stick.

… what started out as a desperate measure, ended up being an ongoing love affair.

Side Notes:

• In the recipe [‘Pizza Vagabond’] you will find a creative way to use up extra turnips and other vegetables.
• Also note my post on [‘The Good Greens’] concerning the usage of vegetable weeds and greens.