I feel like I mention this in just every third post, but it’s just too true – I am perpetually tired and I have a routine that tends to drench out every bit of energy. The past ten days have been tasking to say the least – the weather has not been supportive of our health and there have been too many doctor visits.
Meantime I have been also active in the kitchen, but with so much going on, there has been no picture-taking and in fact, no recipe-following. I seemed to be in a haze, and making up dishes as I move along. It hasn’t always turned out right, but at least no one went hungry.
Today, however, I feel a wonderful zest of energy and change – my migraine has been shooed away (after 7 days!) thanks to very heavy meds, and for the first time in a long time I have woken up at 6:15am with a SMILE!
I have never been a big morning person, and recently a rather horrible morning person. But I don’t like that – I believe an early morning start is the best way to a healthy, productive and energetic day. And I try, in vain, every week to make a change. The thunderstorm and rain last night was a welcoming change (although I don’t think quite so for the farmers), and this early morning beamed with promise, a new beginning and a fresh start.
As I write this I am sitting in bed, drinking a hot pot of Darjeeling tea and typing away. For some reason, I have had a blast of inspiration for a variety of projects and I am eager to start straight away. Now, back to the main point: two dip recipes – a beetroot and goat cheese dip and tzatziki.
The beetroot and goat cheese dip is an incredibly easy exotic looking dip that can be served on a mezze platter, with a breadbasket, in a sandwich or as a dip with chips and crudités. The beetroot offers it’s own beautiful hue, the goat cheese it’s own pungency and the herbs do it’s own job of bringing out the best flavours of the two. Without the hung curd, you can use it as a paste for sandwiches or burgers. Add the hung curd, and you have yourself a dip.
The goat cheese is a strong addition and cannot replace a hummus in the mezze platter – it is not that easy to eat in quantity like hummus – but more as a “side” dip to the main dip.
The Recipe
Serves 1 medium bowl | Prep Time: 30 mins | Cook Time: 15 mins
Ingredients
- 1 beetroot, peeled and boiled
- 30g goat cheese
- 3 big cloves of garlic
- 2 tbsp dried thyme
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ cup hung curd or thick Greek yogurt
- Salt + Pepper
Instructions
- Blitz together the beetroot, goat cheese, garlic, thyme and olive oil into a paste.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Mix the paste into the yogurt and chill.
- To Serve
- Serve with warm pita bread, or use as a condiment in a sandwich or burger.
- You don’t have to boil the beetroot – but I do for it’s smoother taste and for the beautiful colour it blends into. If you don’t have goat cheese or don’t enjoy it as much, substitute with feta cheese – but it will be a lot softer and cut down the salt seasoning.