Beetroot-Tahini Dip

You’ll instantly be drawn toward the bright pink/magenta color–and so will the kids. And if you’re a fan of hummus, then you will most likely add this one to your favorites too. It makes a great dip for veggie sticks (such as celery, carrots, turnips, cucumbers), baked chips, or baked pita strips. It is also a really good sandwich spread and a yummy accompaniment with fish–or just about anything. What I really like about it is that it tastes even better the next day, when all the flavors of the spices, lemon, and garlic seep well into the mix. It keeps well for about 3-4 days in the fridge, but we usually finish the whole thing by the next day!

Now take a quick look at the nutrition fact labeling for this dish:

Nutrition-wise, the tahini adds a chock-full of good fats, with 3 grams of PUFA’s (polyunsaturated fatty acids) and 2.5 grams of MUFA’s (monounsaturated fatty acids). Also, fFor breastfeeding mothers, tahini has been seen to increase milk production. Moreover, the main ingredient, beets, is a unique source of a phytonutrients called  betalains, which have powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer effects. In addition to all that, some vitamins and minerals are found in abundance in this dish, mainly manganese (20% RDA), thiamin (15% RDA), phosphorus (15%), and copper (15%) among many others (calcium, iron, zinc, and B-complex vitamins). With a NuVal score of 100, also packed with benefits for heart-health and stamina because of their hight nitrate content. No wonder why beets are one of nature’s best superfoods! (Just in case you didn’t know, “superfoods” in the field of nutrition  are referred to as “functional foods”, which means that they have a function above and beyond their nutritional value. These special functions are usually related to the prevention of diseases, increasing longevity, and promoting anti-aging properties). And with only 110 calories pr serving, so as typical as it is for superfoods, it is high in nutrients in relation to calories!

It’s also so easy to make. Just mix all the ingredients together in the blender for a couple of minutes, and literally, that’s it!

All you need is the following:

6 medium beets, boiled

1/2 cup tahini

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 clove garlic

1/2 tsp each of ground coriander and black pepper

1 tsp vinegar (white or apple cider)

Just blend it all in a food processor for 2-3 minutes. It makes around 16 heaped tablespoons, so that’s about 8 servings.

Enjoy! 🙂