Beet root and hummus, on a sandwich.

It was bound to happen earlier or later -- I'm writing about food.

Last week I purchased the most essential of kitchen implements, a blender. Now I feel like I can actually do some proper cooking, not just cookies and cakes...
The first thing I made was, also very predictable, some sugar bean hummus to go with the sourdough I baked a few days earlier. Next in line was a big pureed squash and sprouted lentil stew. And in the evening Emma and I went nuts with blended drinks.

I used the hummus the following day for some hefty beet root - hummus - sandwiches to take on a hike. Epic picnic food!

Red speckled sugar bean hummus

1 cup dried legumes (I used the most common bean of SA, the red speckled sugar bean)
1 ts baking soda
2-3 cloves of garlic
1 handful parsley
3 Tbs lemon juice
~ 1 ts red pepper flakes
~ 1/2 ts cumin
salt to taste

Soak the beans with the baking soda in cold water overnight, or in boiling hot water for 1-2 hours. Discard the soaking water.

Cover beans with fresh water in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer until they're done (quite soft, about 1 hour for regular beans).

Strain beans and collect the water.
Blend beans and garlic! If you're using a standing blender be careful not to overheat the motor. If the paste is too thick, add some of the bean water.

Chop parsley, and stir parsley, lemon juice and spices into your bean paste. Add salt and more spices/LJ to taste.

Oven roasted beets

beet roots
rosemary
tin foil

Cut off parts of the beets that don't look like you want to eat them (roots, stems). The leaves make a tasty addition to soups or salads.

Wash beets.  With a kitchen knife, make little incisions in their skin.

Sit each beet root on a piece of foil, sprinkle it with rosemary and wrap it up tightly.

Roast in the oven for 15-30 min. at 180C. Check for doneness by sticking a knife into the beet and seeing whether the center is soft.

That's what they look like coming out!

Make a lot of these, store them in the fridge and eat them as snacks, chop them into salads or slice them onto sandwiches.

Beetroot - Hummus - Sandwiches

sourdough bread
hummus
roasted beets
cucumber
spinach
kim chi or sauerkraut (optional)

Spread hummus on two bread slices. Slice up a beet root and some cucumber, stack both onto the bottom bread. Lay some spinach on top, top with some fermented veg and the second slice of bread.

Too photogenic to pass up a second pic.