Roasted Baby Beets with Pasta

Mmmmm....

Once you taste this mouthwatering pasta dish made with sweet onion, basil, and  oven-roasted beets, you'll be amazed. And you'll understand why this particular combination of foods has been popular since Roman times. Beets have a subtle earthiness about them, and their bright red colour is a cheerful addition to any recipe. These humble little globes are a veritable storehouse of good nutrition, and are an excellent source of potassium, iron, calcium and Vitamin A.  Try this recipe, and you'll be surprised at the depth of flavour from such simple ingredients. Last time I served this dish to a friend, he had thirds! 

You'll Need: 12 small baby beets; 1/2 cup sunflower seeds, soak, sprouted and air dried; 1 large sweet onion; 2 tablespoons almond cream or cream; 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard; 1 cup small brown rice pasta tubes; 1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped; 1 tablespoon + 1 drizzle olive oil; 1 teaspoon lemon juice; 1/8 teaspoon sea salt; 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, salt to taste; 2 tablespoons hemp hearts; 2 tablespoons crumble goat milk or vegan seed feta cheese; 1 teaspoon dried thyme/oregano/summer savory blend.

Method: Remove tails and tops, and lightly scrub the beets with a vegetable brush. Place in a ovenproof dish, cover and bake in a slow oven, (325 degrees) until beets are soft. When cool enough to handle, slip off skins and set aside.  

Put sunflower seeds in a dry pan. Roast slowly over a low heat, stirring often, until seeds are lightly toasted, and very fragrant. Set aside.

Cut onion into small pieces. Put the olive oil in a small frying pan, add onion, and cook gently over medium heat until onions are soft and very sweet, almost beginning to caramelize. Stir Dijon mustard into almond cream and pour into pan stirring to form a thick sauce. Remove from heat.

Wash basil, and place in blender with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and salt. Pulse into a smooth pesto. Set aside.

Cook pasta, drain, rinse in cool water, and put into a casserole dish. Cut beets into quarters, length-wise, and add to pasta. Pour onion mixture over beets and pasta, and mix thoroughly. Gently stir in sunflower seeds. Dot basil pesto over top of dish, and fold in. Sprinkle with cayenne and ground cloves. Drizzle with a little olive oil, and cover.

Bake in a moderate oven for 10-15 minutes. Remove lid, sprinkle with hemp hearts, crumbled cheese and dried thyme/oregano/savory blend. Return to oven for 2-3 minutes until cheese is warm. Serve and enjoy.

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