Rooty Salad

Winter is the perfect time to consume root vegetables. They store well for the winter months. Roots help to ground our body with Mother Earth when the winter doesn’t allow as much time to enjoy the outdoors. I love eating root vegetables all year long, especially beets.

Root vegetables are full of fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Enjoy them roasted, boiled, baked or stewed. There’s no wrong way to have them.

Several years ago, I purchased an air fryer and it changed the way to cook! Rather than roasting vegetables in the oven, which takes up more time and energy, I use the air fryer. It uses less oil and requires less time and energy usage. If you don’t have an air fryer, you can still make this recipe; just roast the vegetables in the oven.

Rooty Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon avocado oil or oil used for high heat

• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

• 3 large parsnips, peeled and sliced

• 3 large beets, peeled and diced

• salt and pepper

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

• 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish

• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

• Dandelion leaf, Arugula, or Spinach leaf

Directions:

1. Preheat air fryer at 400 degrees. Toss sweet potatoes and parsnips in a bowl with 1/2 tablespoon oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2. Air fry for 8-10 minutes or until almost done. Remove and set aside.

3. Add remaining 1/2 tablespoon to air fryer along with diced beets. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

4. Air fry for 6-8 minutes until almost done.

5. Meanwhile, prepare the dressing.

6. Remove the beets and combine with sweet potatoes and parsnips.

Dressing:

Combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, horseradish, mustard, and parsley in a jar. Mix well.

Preparing the salad:

In a bowl, place roots and chopped greens of your choice. Add dressing and enjoy!

Vegan Beet Burger

I've loved beets since I was a child. I'd eat them straight out of the canning jar. I now enjoy steaming fresh beets, slicing them up and eating them in my salads. I've also used them in my smoothies. Beets have many health benefits that can keep a body moving. The first time I ate a beet burger was with my daughter, Heather. She took me to a popular restaurant in the city where she lives. Known for their burgers, this restaurant was indeed crowded. We sat at the bar are ordered our food. I, of course, ordered the beet burger. I had to. I thought it was odd that someone would actually use beets in a burger. I wanted to know what it looked like as much as anything. It was really good. I think the sauce on top had a lot to do with it too. 

Since I love cooking, I had to figure out how to duplicate this burger. I got online and found a couple of recipes for these burgers. I tried one but it was a failure. I thought, I'll just make up my own and go from there. This is what I came up with. I hope you will enjoy this treat! It's super easy and quick. I served mine with slices of avocado and sriracha mayo.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked beets
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 gloves garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until smooth, stop and scrap down the sides and pulse again until smooth and well blended.
2. Add 2 tsp olive oil to skillet and place on medium heat.
3. Dip out a large spoonful of batter and pat out with hands.
4. Place in the skillet and cook about 3-4 minutes on each side.
5. Place on a plate and keep warm. Serve on a bun with your favorite toppings.

Sriracha Mayo: 1/4 cup mayo and 1 TBSP sriracha sauce. Stir to combine.

Yield: 10 patties