I know cooks who avoid cooking with beetroots as they turn everything bright red. But beetroots are so delicious and versatile!! This dish can be served as a great side, starter or as a full meal. A delicious alternative to an ordinary risotto. The parmesan can be replaced with nutritional yeast.

Steamed beetroots:
5 medium sized beetroots
25 ml olive oil
50 ml water

Mixing ingredients:
1 lemon, zest and juice
100 ml finely grated parmesan cheese or 50 ml nutritional yeast
25 ml olive oil
½ tsp agave syrup
juice from the steamed beetroots
salt and pepper
Plus, the steamed beetroots (those you’ve just steamed)

½ onion finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
olive oil
4 beetroot stalks and leaves, washed and chopped (leave some for the decoration, if you are using the leaves then quickly blanch them in boiling water before serving)

200 ml uncooked quinoa
500 ml water
salt

Olive oil
Parmesan shavings or finely diced beetroot stalks

1. Oven at 200 C
2. Trim the stalks and tips of the beetroots
3. Place in foil with oil and water, close the foil and steam in the oven for 45 minutes
4. Take out, cool for a bit and then peel (the peel will just fall off, you can use paper towels to rub it off)
5. Put beetroots and mixing ingredients in a food processor. Run until smooth. Set aside.
6. Cook the quinoa.
7. In a pan, sauté the onion and garlic in oil until soft. Add the chopped stalks and leaves.
8. Add the cooked quinoa. Stir.
9. Mix the beetroot mix into the quinoa pan.
10. Add some olive oil.
11. Serve with parmesan shavings (or, as I did in the photo, finely diced beetroot stalks)