let the beet control your body

Diced Beetroot

Save for the fact that it stains everything, I love everything about beets. I love the texture, fibrous but silky. I love the taste, strangely reminiscent of corn except it's a root vegetable. I love that they're nutritious and that they're good for the skin. I love how they remind me of summer. I love the colours; the plant is green, purple and a deep sultry red. I love how beets seriously remind me of a few favourite things. Perhaps in my previous life trillions of years ago I was a beetroot myself. Who knows.

Beets are actually very versatile. The roots can be boiled and eaten warm or cold, shredded raw for salad, puréed as a side or made into soup. Vegans use them to make chocolate cake, some people use them to make wine. Personally, I like beetroot best plain, or when pickled in oil and vinegar. Perfect for snacking and salads.

After the jump: a recipe for a nice beetroot salad, inspired by a similar salad prepared by my Uncle. Dead easy to prepare, I kid you not.

Quorn sausages

If you know me well enough, then you know I do not eat pork and that I hate sausages. The last time I attempted to have pork was two years ago in Brighton. The air smelled of proper sea-front food: burgers, fish and hotdogs. I suddenly craved for hotdogs only because it reminded me of familial walks by the pier as a child and I felt homesick. I bought a massive hotdog with everything on top - onions, ketchup, mustard, pickle. It didn't go down well. It didn't go down at all. Unfortunately after a massive bite I felt really sick and... grossed out. Bye bye porkies and hotdogs. You're too cute to be eaten by me.

Thank God for Quorn sausages. At least when I crave for something long and stuffed *insert evil laugh* I still have decent and succulent *more evil laughter* options.

Project Meatless Monday #1, served with buttermilk mashed spuds (with skins) and blanched savoy cabbages.