Speaking of grazing, this recipe will go great as an appetizer with raw veggies or crackers, as a salad topper to add some color and nutrients, or as a meal- zucchini boats (pictured above)! By the way, if you use the hummus as a salad topper don't ditch the leaves, they are very valuable too. Wash them well and mix them in with your greens.
Beets are touted as one of the must nutrient dense foods. Frankly, I always ate them cooked, without realizing I could eat them raw. I prefer them raw now! Raw = more enzymes for your magnificent body! While most, if not all, the recipes I post on here have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, beets also contain detoxification abilities. The name of the phytonutrients in beets is called betalains. My understanding is most is found in the skin of the beet. Therefore, scrub your beets really well and leave the skin on!
A fun little tidbit I found is that researchers are continuing to study the beets' potential ability to reduce tumors; specifically colon, stomach, nerve, lung, breast, prostate and testicular! I also never knew, until writing this post, that beets belong to the chenopod family which can be beneficial for nervous system, specifically eye, health.
When I first introduced these guys back into my diet a year ago, (really didn't eat them before), I went to the bathroom and had a "freak" attack. They can turn your urine a reddish color BUT they really shouldn't turn your urine this color. This experience is known as beeturia. It may NOT be harmful but may warrant further exploration into the way your body metabolizes iron or you may want to check in to see how your stomach acid is doing. If you eat SAD (standard American diet) it is likely your stomach acid is low. I don't know the scientific evidence around this phenomenon but have read about it on several blogs. In fact, beets do not have the "reddening of urine" effect on me know, and I'm assuming that my stomach is working more effectively.
Carrots are in season in the summer and fall!! Carrots may help cardiovascular disease, see research out of the Netherlands. Carrots, like beats can help inhibit the growth of cancer cells, by helping to prevent oxidative stress on the body. They likely play a role in eye health and cardiovascular health as well :) So put them on your kids plates, organic of course, and enjoy them together.
BEETIN CARROT HUMMUS
Serves: 4
Time: 10 minutes
Effort: Uber easy (because I'm all about that most days)
1/2 beet raw, scrub it well, organic
2 carrots, peeled, organic
2 Tbs tahini
2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbs olive oil, EVOO, organic
1 clove garlic, minced
You can do it one of two ways:
1. stick it all in the food processor or blender and go until it reaches consistency you want. Just watch out, if it isn't moving around enough the bottom will become much more blended than the top.
*I actually prefer mine more like a topping than a completely blended hummus.
OR
2. first chop beets and carrots in food processor and chop until your desired size,
put in separate bowl,
and mix all other ingredients with them with a wooden spoon.
Enjoy this with: crackers, zucchini, squash, celery sticks, salad topper or just pain by the spoonful!
Heath is wealth,
Heather