Beet Chickpea Loaf with Arugula Sauce
Like hockey’s Don Cherry and Ron MacLean, beets and goat cheese are meant for each other. So why not team them up in a loaf with plenty of rosy visual appeal? Farro helps add whole-grain texture, but you could also use brown rice, spelt, or wheat berries. Like many loaves, this one can be packed into a loaf pan up to a day in advance and kept chilled until ready to bake.
1/2 cup (125 mL) farro
1 lb (450 g) beets, peeled and chopped
1 cup (250 mL) rolled oats
2 cups (500 mL) cooked or canned chickpeas
2 large free-range eggs
2 tsp (10 mL) Dijon-style mustard
2 shallots, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced, divided
2 tsp (10 mL) ground coriander
1 tsp (5 mL) smoked paprika
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
1/4 tsp (1 mL) black pepper
1 - 4 1/4 oz (120 g) package soft goat cheese, crumbled
3 Tbsp (45 mL) unsalted shelled sunflower seeds
2 cups (500 mL) arugula
1 cup (250 mL) parsley
2 tsp (10 mL) capers (drained)
1/4 cup (60 mL) extra-virgin olive oil or camelina oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Place farro and 1 1/2 cups (350 mL) water in saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer covered over medium-low until farro is tender, about 25 minutes. Drain any excess liquid and set aside.
Place beets in steamer basket set over 2 in (5 cm) of water and steam until tender, about 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C) and grease 9 x 5 in (23 x 13 cm) loaf pan.
Place oats in food processor container and blend into coarse powder. Add beets and blend until pulverized. Add chickpeas, eggs, mustard, shallots, 2 garlic cloves, coriander, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper; pulse several times into a coarse mixture. Stir in goat cheese and cooked farro. Place mixture in loaf pan and press down firmly into an even layer and sprinkle sunflower seeds on top. Bake for 35 minutes, or until set in middle and darkened around edges. Let cool for several minutes before slicing.
To make arugula sauce, place arugula, parsley, 1 garlic clove, and capers in food processor or blender container and process until mixture is roughly chopped. With machine running, add olive oil and lemon juice in a slow, steady stream, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl once or twice. Add more oil if needed to reach desired consistency.
Serve slices of beet chickpea loaf with arugula sauce.
Serves 6.
Each serving contains: 426 calories; 17 g protein; 19 g total fat (5 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 50 g total carbohydrates (9 g sugars, 9 g fibre); 393 mg sodium
source: "Loafing Around", alive #389, March 2015
Beet Chickpea Loaf with Arugula Sauce
Directions
Matthew Kadey, MSc, RD
Matthew Kadey is a dietitian, nutrition writer, and recipe developer. He is also the author of Rocket Fuel (VeloPress, 2016) and Muffin Tin Chef (Ulysses Press, 2012).
READ THIS NEXT
SEE MORE »
Waffled Chicken Quesadillas with Chipotle Pepper Sauce
These whimsical weeknight quesadillas offer a great excuse to break out the long-forgotten waffle iron. The smoky, tangy pepper sauce is the perfect sidekick for this dish, but it’s also wonderful when tossed with pasta, stuffed into sandwiches, and slathered on burgers. TIP : When assembling quesadillas, keep fillings centred 1/2 in (1.25 cm) from the edge of the tortilla so they don’t spill over. TIP : Chipotle chiles are dried, smoked jalapenos. Adobo is a slightly sweet red sauce. Put them together in a can and they become a versatile pantry staple to add deep smoky heat to sauces, dips, marinades, and soups. No waffle iron? Then make these quesadillas using this skillet method. Place 1 tortilla in skillet, preferably cast iron, and cook over medium heat until dark spots appear and bottom is crispy, about 1 1/2 minutes. Turn over and cook until crispy and darkened on the other side. Remove tortilla from skillet and replace with another tortilla. Cook until darkened and crispy on one side, flip, and top with stuffing ingredients. Place crispy tortilla on top, press down gently, cover pan, and cook for 1 minute, or until cheese has melted.
Ancho Tomato Baked Feta
This Mexican-Mediterranean hybrid dish gleans its tempered kick from parched ancho chilies, the dried form of poblano peppers known for their smoky quality and sweet to moderate heat. It’s a fantastic saucy, and comforting, appetizer or meal on its own. Serve with crusty bread to sop up every last bit of the red sauce, or spoon over cooked grain. Chili choices Experiment with different dried Mexican chili peppers in your dishes. Instead of ancho, other options, each with different heat levels and flavour nuances, include pasilla, guajillo, or morita. Look for them in Latin markets and some supermarkets. For leftover lovers Because the flavours in this dish only deepen with resting time, it’s a definite candidate for serving as leftovers; simply reheat in the oven or microwave. Cheezy choices If possible, compare labels and look for lower-sodium feta options. A ball of fresh mozzarella or bocconcini are great alternatives, or try a block of medium-firm tofu and substitute agave syrup in place of the honey for a vegan-friendly dish.
Sweet Potato Black Bean Dip with Pickled Jalapenos
A good option for both backyard barbecues and healthy snacking, this creamy dip benefits from a little spicy crunch, courtesy of quick-pickled peppers. If you want your dip to have a smoky edge, blend in a chipotle-flavoured salsa. Or forgo the salsa and, instead, blend in a couple tablespoons of tomato paste and a single canned chipotle chili pepper. Extras of the pickled peppers are an exciting topping for burgers, sandwiches, and tacos. TIP : When using prepared chili pepper products such as bottled salsas, examine the ingredient list for items you really don’t want or need, namely sugar and high amounts of sodium.
Grilled Chili Tofu Steaks with Quinoa
Treat yourself to a steak dinner, using tofu instead of meat. The tangy chili-spiked marinade does double-duty as a finishing sauce and transforms otherwise bland tofu into a dish that’ll sound your taste buds’ fire alarm. Bird’s eye pepper would be a good substitute for habanero if needed. Dousing the fire If you find yourself with a mouth on fire after taking a bite of a chili-infused dish, don’t try to douse it with water. Instead, reach for a glass of milk. The protein casein in dairy is known to help subdue the flame. Water won’t help nearly as much.