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Paleo-ish Beet Dip Recipe

August 2, 2016

Let's start with what you came for…The Paleo-ish Beet Dip Recipe 🙂

Paleo Beet Dip with a lemon wedge

I created this beautiful Paleo-ish beet dip just for you, my friends. Inspired by a recipe from a fellow Chicago blogger, Emily Paster of West of the Loop, it was originally created to be made in big batches for swapping and sharing at Food Swaps. I made a few tweaks – a smaller serving size for my own personal pleasure, a few more nutty additions, and a couple ingredient replacements to make it more paleo-friendly. And tada! This gem was born. Dip veggies in it, scoop it over salads or just eat it by the spoonful. It's ALL good. Read the post to find out why.

Ingredients:

  • 5 small to medium sized beets
  • 1 cup Siggi’s Strained Whole Milk Yogurt, Plain
  • 1/4 cup almond butter
  • 1/4 cup tahini
  • 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon za'atar
  • 1/4 cup hemp seeds
  • 1/4 cup walnuts
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Roast beets per the following steps OR just buy them from the store – this brand is great and is available at Whole Foods and Mariano's.
  2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  3. Chop leaves off of beets, but leave the bottoms and the stems as this will preserve some of the juicy juice.
  4. Wash beets thoroughly and DON’T DRY – you’ll want some moisture on them for roasting.
  5. Wrap beets in aluminum foil (I wrapped them individually this time, but I’ve also done them all at once).
  6. Put them on a baking sheet in their aluminum foil for 60 minutes-ish. Check on them about 30 minutes in to turn them over. You may want to splash a bit more water on them if they’re looking dry.
  7. They are done when a fork goes through the middle of them easily and smoothly. If it doesn’t, roast another 10 minutes and check again.
  8. Once complete, let them cool off. Then, cut off their ends. Take a paper towel to them, and gently rub over the skin. It should come off easily. But no matter what, it will be messy. Wear an apron or bathe in beautiful purpley colors. Whatever floats your boat.
  9. Plop your beets into your food processor along with the rest of the ingredients.
  10. Pulverize in your food processor until smooth.
  11. Taste test! Taste test! Taste test! Everybody has different likes and dislikes and I tried my darndest to give you the exact measurements I used, but so much of my process is a little bit more of this and that until it tastes perfect TO ME. I loved the nutty flavor so I added a bit more almond butter and rounded it off with walnuts to really bring it home. But you may prefer it more tart, in which case you might want to up the yogurt and the lemon juice.

Roasting beets for paleo beet dip

I made a new friend last week. It’s name? Beet Dip. And I can’t get enough.

The match maker was Emily Paster of West of the Loop. I got the pleasure of attending an intimate book launching party for her book, Food Swap: Specialty Recipes for Bartering, Sharing & Giving. Not only did she encourage everybody there to try their own Food Swap,  but she demonstrated a few recipes ideal for the homemade community trade.

Enter, the beet dip.

All the ingredients for a Paleo beet dip

This creamy, dreamy, bright Nickelodeon-purple concoction – made with one of the most nutrient-rich vegetables out there. I HAD to have it, tweak it, and make it my own…

Beets? Good. Za'atar? Good. Tahini? Goooood. But what if I added some hemp seeds for an Omega-3 boost? And maybe a dash of almond butter to make it even more decadent. Yes. Uh huh. A little of this. A little of that.

BAM. I had it. Paleo-ish Beet Dip was born.

Paleo Beet Dip in Food Processor

I now call this gem "dish lipstick” because it has been dressing all of my meals up and making them a little more….well, sexy. Yeah, I said it. It's sexy beet dip. Making salads more sensual, crackers more seductive, and chicken breasts more suggestive – one spoonful at a time.

Ahem. Anyways.

As always, when I make a recipe here, it's not just how to make it, but WHY to make it.

Paleo salad with paleo beet dip on top

BEETS:

  • Let's jump right into the fun stuff – beets have been shown to be an aphrodisiac or a sexual booster. This is thanks to the mineral Boron, which has been shown to increase the production of sexual hormones.
  • Because of their high folate content, they are ideal for pregnant women.
  • Eating beet root has been shown to decrease cardiovascular diseases in multiple ways.
  • Betains contained in beet juice stimulate the function of the liver.
  • Researchers have also noticed that oxygen uptake is greatly increased by people who drink beet juice. One study showed that the uptake increased by up to 16% which is extremely impressive – more than a person can achieve by exercise training.
  • Nerve and muscle function, immune-boosting, bone, liver, kidney and pancrease health – the list goes on, but let's leave some room for the other guys, shall we?

Beets wrapped up in aluminum foil

WHOLE MILK YOGURT:

  • Comes from cows who have grazed in pasture year-round vs. eating a processed diet.
  • Grass feeding improves the quality of yogurt and makes it richer in omega-3 fats and CLA, a beneficial fatty acid (you cannot get the same levels from nonfat or lowfat yogurt).
  • Remember, fat is good. When you choose lowfat or nonfat products, they are no longer whole foods. They are half-foods, replaced with sugars or fake sugars to make up for the lack of flavor. And no, whole milk will not make you fat. In fact, it may help you lose weight because whole fat foods digest slowly into the bloodstream, keeping you satisfied longer and feeding your body properly so that it can digest its food.

HEMP SEEDS:

  • In the standard American diet, it can be difficult to get the right amount of Omega-3 in our diets.
  • Omega-6 is easier to come by, and is found in most processed foods.
  • We want to shoot for a ratio of 3:1 of Omega-6 to Omega-3, but the current US diet ranges from 10:1 all the way to 20:1 (!)
  • Guess what? Hemp has the perfect 3:1 ratio! Which contributes to its abiltiy to…
  • Improve digestion
  • Balance hormones
  • and Improve metabolism

WALNUTS:

  • Yet another Omega-3 powerhouse
  • Also very rich in antioxidants including manganese and copper
  • Have been shown to improve reproductive health in males (read: fertility food!)
  • May support brain health because of its neuroprotective compounds including vitamin E, folate, melatonin, Omega-3 and antioxidants.

Paleo Beet Dip with a lemon wedge

Alright kids. That's all she wrote. Question for you…

What is your favorite dip/marinade/butter/sauce to put on EVERYTHING?

Much Love,

HealthyStaceySignature

p.s. Like the Beet Dip? Pin me!

Paleo Beet Dip

 

 

SOURCES:

  1. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/01/25/beets-health-benefits.aspx
  2. http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=124
  3. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/05/19/7-walnuts-benefits.aspx
Paleo beet dip with sumac and seseame seeds topping
Paleo-ish Beet Dip
Print Recipe
I created this beautiful Paleo-ish beet dip just for you, my friends. Inspired by a recipe from a fellow Chicago blogger, Emily Paster of West of the Loop, it was originally created to be made in big batches for swapping and sharing at Food Swaps. I made a few tweaks – a smaller serving size for my own personal pleasure, a few more nutty additions, and a couple ingredient replacements to make it more paleo-friendly. And tada! This gem was born. Dip veggies in it, scoop it over salads or just eat it by the spoonful. It's ALL good.
Servings Prep Time
4 cups 5 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour
Servings Prep Time
4 cups 5 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour
Paleo beet dip with sumac and seseame seeds topping
Paleo-ish Beet Dip
Print Recipe
I created this beautiful Paleo-ish beet dip just for you, my friends. Inspired by a recipe from a fellow Chicago blogger, Emily Paster of West of the Loop, it was originally created to be made in big batches for swapping and sharing at Food Swaps. I made a few tweaks – a smaller serving size for my own personal pleasure, a few more nutty additions, and a couple ingredient replacements to make it more paleo-friendly. And tada! This gem was born. Dip veggies in it, scoop it over salads or just eat it by the spoonful. It's ALL good.
Servings Prep Time
4 cups 5 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour
Servings Prep Time
4 cups 5 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour
Ingredients
Servings: cups
Instructions
  1. Roast beets per the following steps OR just buy them from the store – The Love Beets Brand is great and is available at Whole Foods and Mariano's.
  2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  3. Chop leaves off of beets (and save for later - they are VERY GOOD for you), but leave the bottoms and the stems as this will preserve some of the juicy juice.
  4. Wash beets thoroughly and DON’T DRY – you’ll want some moisture on them for roasting.
  5. Wrap beets in aluminum foil (I wrapped them individually this time, but I’ve also done them all at once).
  6. Put them on a baking sheet in their aluminum foil for 60 minutes-ish. Check on them about 30 minutes in to turn them over. You may want to splash a bit more water on them if they’re looking dry.
  7. They are done when a fork goes through the middle of them easily and smoothly. If it doesn’t, roast another 10 minutes and check again.
  8. Once complete, let them cool off. Then, cut off their ends. Take a paper towel to them, and gently rub over the skin. It should come off easily. But no matter what, it will be messy. Wear an apron or bathe in beautiful purpley colors. Whatever floats your boat.
  9. Plop your beets into your food processor along with the rest of the ingredients.
  10. Pulverize in your food processor until smooth. Taste test! Taste test! Taste test! Everybody has different likes and dislikes and I tried my darndest to give you the exact measurements I used, but so much of my process is a little bit more of this and that until it tastes perfect TO ME. I loved the nutty flavor so I added a bit more almond butter and rounded it off with walnuts to really bring it home. But you may prefer it more tart, in which case you might want to up the yogurt and the lemon juice.
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Recipes

Hormone Balancing Meatballs

June 28, 2016

Paleo Hormone Balancing meatballs

I love meatballs. And when I love something, I obsess over it for a good month-ish…

There were the meatballs for breakfast.

Lamb meatballs with sweet potato pasta.

And who could forget the Fertility Feast meatballs?

Meatball-making reminds me of cookie-baking. You roll up all of these fantastic ingredients into tiny little balls, put them on a baking sheet, and fill your kitchen with all the smells, until it's time to pull them out and try one bite of the juicy, herby, spicy, meaty cookie. But unlike cookies, I don’t believe you have to follow an exact recipe. That’s the beauty of cooking after all. A pinch of this, a handful of that – as long as it’s all things you like, it will most likely be delicious.

Besides being addicting, these particular meatballs have so many health benefits, it’s ridiculous. The reason? Because they have liver. Yes, liver. WAIT! WAIT! Before you freak out and close this page, please do two things for me: 1) Read the benefits below. And 2) See how I’m going to make it really easy for you to incorporate the liver into your diet through this awesome recipe.

Hormone Balancing Meatballs

Ridiculous Benefits Of My Liver Meatballs:

LIVER is one of the most nutrient-dense foods. Period.

Greater than 65% of daily requirement of folate for 30-something women.

High in B12, B6, zinc and iron, which helps with…

  • Depression
  • Thyroid issues
  • Low energy

The highest source of vitamin A, which improves…

  • Thyroid function. It supports thyroid deficiencies so it's perfect for anyone with hypothyroid.
  • Liver health and detoxification.
  • Absorption of Vitamin A. We can’t get ANYWHERE close to this amount of Vitamin A from vegetables – not only because vegetable don't have as much, but becasue the body has to convert it to retinol first in order to use it. Unfortuantely, the veggie conversion rate is not good – especially for people with thyroid issues. But with liver, it's already converted and ready to use!

Anti-Fatigue factor:

  • In a famous study done by Benjamin K. Ershoff, PhD, liver consumption prevented rats from exhaustion, even after swimming for 2 straight hours.
  • Could have implications for human consumption; many people report feeling energized after eating it.

WALNUTS are high in Omega-3 which has been shown to:

  • Balance depression, anxiety and mood swings associated with hormonal imbalances
  • Reduce inflammation and balance insulin

COCONUT OIL is a medium chain fatty acid which:

  • Is essential for hormone production
  • Keeps inflammation levels low
  • Boosts your metabolism
  • Promotes weight loss

My personal experience with these liver meatballs:

  • Incredibly satiating – I've tried liver in many different ways and THIS baby finally made me enjoy them.
  • Improved digestion
  • More energy
  • GREAT for fertility

Paleo Hormone Balancing Meatballs

Ridiculously Easy Way To Make It Delicious:

  • So that you don’t actually taste the liver, we’re going to mix it together with grass-fed ground beef and lots of seasonings and ingredients.
  • So that you don’t have to touch the liver (too much), I’m going to ask that you ask your local butcher to grind it for you. And if you ask really nicely, they might grind it together with the beef. (Shoutout to Anthony at Local Foods for being the sweetest, most accommodating butcher ever 🙂 )
  • So that you don’t have to deal with liver often, we’re going to make one BIG batch now so you can freeze them later and have a ready-to-go, highly nutritious dinner any night of the week.

Okay, enough talk. Are you ready to put all your fears aside and try liver???

   Paleo Hormone Balancing Meatballs Ingredients

Hormone Balancing Basil Meatballs
Print Recipe
Servings Prep Time
45 Meatballs 30 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Servings Prep Time
45 Meatballs 30 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Hormone Balancing Basil Meatballs
Print Recipe
Servings Prep Time
45 Meatballs 30 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Servings Prep Time
45 Meatballs 30 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Ingredients
Servings: Meatballs
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and set out three baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Melt 1 teaspoon of coconut oil on the sauté pan and toss in onion; sauté for 5 minutes-ish.
  3. While that's cooking, chop up garlic cloves, basil leaves and walnuts; Set aside.
  4. Set aside cooked onions and let cool to room temperature.
  5. Whisk eggs in a bowl.
  6. Stir in garlic, basil, walnuts, nutritional yeast, coconut flour and red chili pepper flakes.
  7. Pour mixture into beef and liver; Pour onions in separately.
  8. Get your hands in there and mix it all together.
  9. Roll mixture into 1 inch balls and place on parchment paper.
  10. Stick in oven for 10 minutes.
  11. Bonus: Once cooled, stick in freezer ON THE PAN to flash freeze your meatballs. Doing so will keep them in meatball shape so you can stuff them in freezer bags and have them on hand whenever you need them. Believe me, nothing is better than coming home to an empty fridge, and then remembering that you have delicious pre-made meatballs waiting for you in the freezer.
  12. TO RE-HEAT: Warm in pan with a bit of coconut oil, bone broth and/or spaghetti sauce for approximately 10 minutes.
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