I love getting a local fruit and veggie box every week. We have been eating more in season and trying more interesting ingredients.

Our last box had beetroot, red onions, purple carrots and rocket so I made a beautiful warm Autumn salad with them. It was so delicious I thought I would share it with all of you!

The salad will feed about four to six people as a side or two to three as a meal.

Warm Beetroot and Purple Carrot Salad

Vegetarian, gluten free, nut free, egg free

What you need:

3 small beetroot, peeled and cut into thick wedges

2 purple carrots, peeled and cut into thick batons

2 small red onions, peeled and cut into thick wedges

1/2 cup cooked French lentils

100g soft feta cheese

1 cup spinach

2 cups rocket

Dressing:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon orange juice

1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon seed mustard

finely grated rind of half an orange

1/2 small garlic clove, grated

pink salt and pepper

How to do it:

Pop the beetroot, carrot and onion into a large baking dish. Add a good drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast in a hot oven – 200°C for 30-40mins or until cooked through. Don’t let the onion break up into small pieces, or it will burn!

Wash spinach and rocket and spread out on a platter.

Arrange the warm vegetables, lentils and feta on top.

Make the dressing by putting all the dressing ingredients in a small jar and shaking well.

Drizzle the dressing over the top of the salad evenly.

Enjoy!

Now that I have a vegan and vegetarian in the house, I have started bulk cooking legumes again. It’s so easy to do – just soak them overnight and then cook the next day and freeze in glass jars! You can even cook them in the slow cooker.

Do you cook warm salads? What are your favourite combinations?

You may have noticed on Facebook the other day I shared my tip of throwing some vegetables in to roast when you have the oven on.

It saves energy and you have yummy roast vegetables at the end to eat!

Anyway, I ended up with two and a half roasted beetroots and was pondering what I should make with them.

This fabulous recipe by Lori at What Runs Lori was just the ticket!

Of course, I had to do a little tweaking, Australiafying and thermifying (technical term for converting a recipe to be thermomix friendly).

I am so excited about all the health benefits of this brownie and the fact that it has 1 cup of vegetables and 1 cup of fruit!

Here is my version of Lori’s fabulous recipe.

Beetroot and Strawberry Brownies

Vital Stats: grain free, gluten free, dairy free, nut free, naturally sweetened, vegetarian, antioxidant rich

Okay so this is what you need:

1 cup cooked organic beetroot, chopped roughly (you can roast, steam or boil)

1/2 cup virgin organic coconut oil

3 tablespoons organic coconut milk

4 organic eggs

6 medjool dates (without the pit!)

1 tablespoon Heilala vanilla bean paste

1/2 teaspoon pink himalayan salt

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1/2 cup organic coconut flour

1/2 cup organic raw cacao powder

1 cup chopped strawberries (or any berries)

Okay, so this is how you do it:

Preheat your oven to 180°C. Line a slice tray with a piece of baking paper.

Whack your beetroot, coconut oil, coconut milk, eggs, dates and vanilla into the thermomix.

I don’t worry about melting the coconut oil because it melts into the mix on it’s own (unless it is super cold where you live!)

Blitz on speed 9 for 30 seconds or until all is well combined and no lumps are left.

How beautiful is this colour!!

Now add in the rest of the ingredients and mix on reverse, speed 4 for 10 seconds.

If you want the strawberries to be chunky in the mix, fold them in by hand with a spatula.

Mine ended up smoodged in the mix a bit too much.

Don’t let the mix sit too long. Coconut flour can be temperamental!

Whack the mix into your slice tin and smooth out the top really well.

Chuck it in the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes or until firm.

Cool down well on a wire rack.

For non-thermomix instructions, please refer to Lori’s recipe.

Notes:

You can freeze the brownies in portions if you like.

This recipe is really moist and delicious but not overly sweet. Add a little honey or maple syrup if you need.

Serve it with some double cream or cashew cream and some berry coulis if you want to make delicious dessert.

It is perfect with a cup of Crio Bru for a double choc treat that is all good for you (oh yes I did!).

Do you like brownies?

Get the Heilala Vanilla at my Crio Bru Affiliate Shop.