Two weeks ago my husband honoured me with a 3kg beetroot which he dug up from our garden!
Needless to say I was impressed … and so was he!
So I had to think of creative ways of using up this wonder of nature, and after being sent a link by a dear friend (see here) I couldn’t help but run with the idea of making beetroot “balls”, and therein started my testing for a suitable recipe.
After thinking about the flavours I love to have with beetroot, and trying a few combinations, this is the end result. I had to include miso … not only because I love it … but it is also so good for you too. For more information on miso see here.
When making balls like this I always use a 20g tablespoon measure which I dip into a bowl of filtered water first before pressing it into the mixture … this makes it easier to release the mix from the spoon with my fingers, and gives a light film of water around the mix making it easier to roll into a ball, and allows the coconut coating to stick more easily to it … so a win win!
As you are using beetroot (I have tested the recipe using both raw and cooked beetroot, and raw beetroot has more flavour and crunch) you will find over the course of a week (if they last that long) there will be a very slight filtering of red colour to the outside of the ball … if this bothers you re-roll the balls in coconut, but for me I rather like the slight variation in colour this gives.
The balls keep really well in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to a month … I have actually eaten them straight from the freezer (I just wanted to see what they were like) and whilst they were quite “chewy” they were still delicious this way if you prefer more”chew”.
I always use toasted seeds in recipes like this as they offer so much more flavour (see here for easy instructions on how to do this), and I also use coconut butter and not coconut oil which can tend to be quite greasy (see here on the difference between coconut butter and coconut oil, and how to make your own coconut butter if you wish). Coconut butter can be purchased from Health Food Stores, and also some supermarkets now carry it in their Health Food isles.
- 150g toasted pepitas and sunflower seeds mix
- 100g Medjool dates, pitted weight (approximately 6 to 7)
- 100g raw beetroot, peeled weight, cut into small chunks
- 100g rolled oats
- 50g white chocolate, cut into small pieces (½ pea size)
- 50g shredded coconut
- 50g shiro miso (white miso)
- 50g honey
- 50g coconut butter
- 1 tsp sea salt flakes, or ½ tsp fine sea salt
- Zest of 1 large orange
- Desiccated coconut for coating
- Place pepitas and sunflower seeds into TM bowl and chop 3 seconds / speed 7
- Add rest of ingredients and mix 6 seconds / speed 7
- Scrape around bowl and repeat 6 seconds / speed 7
- Test the mix by pressing a little between your fingers … if it sticks easily together it is ready, if not mix again for a further 2 seconds / speed 7
- Using a tablespoon measure roll mix into balls and coat with desiccated coconut (dip your tablespoon into a small jug of water before pressing it into the mix … this allows the mix to easily release from the tablespoon before rolling into balls)
- Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week, or in the freezer for up to a month
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