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the coming weeks but will still all be invigorated by the fantastic dressings that give the salads their distinctive flavour. This yearÕs weather has decimated the squash crop, so we have decided to give our Squash Pate a sabbatical this year, confident that youÕll love the alternative...
Simply the colour of this versatile vegetable demands its inclusion in our recipes – yes the beetroot has hitherto been overlooked by the wizards in the Natural Vitality kitchen. But we think it's high time it took centre stage. Look out for some mouth watering pink/red dishes in the coming weeks...
The root of beetroot...
Beetroot has been cultivated for about 4,000 years. It was probably the ancient Babylonians who started to use it first.Ā Early Greeks and Romans used the root for its medicinal properties and the leaves as vegetables. Since Roman times beetroot juice has also been considered an aphrodisiac. The scientific explanation for that belief is that the beet is rich in the mineral boron, which plays an important role in the production of human sex hormones. |
The Greek doctor Hippocrates (460-377 BC), often called "the Father of Medicine," advocated the use of beet leaves as bindings for wounds. Beetroot held an important place in Renaissance (14th-16th century) medicine and was often used for illnesses relating to digestion and the blood. In medieval England, beetroot juice or broth was recommended as an easily digested food for the aged, weak, or infirm.
Nutrition: Beetroot is an excellent provider of potassium and also silicon rich. The leaves, which have the flavour of spinach, are high in vitamin A, iron and calcium. It has a naturally sweet flavour and can help purify the blood, improve circulation, strengthen the heart, sedate the spirit and is very beneficial to the liver. Used with carrots it can be very helpful to regulate hormones during menopause... so make sure it figures highly in your weekly vegetable consumption! |
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Fast Hummus...
WeÕve recently taken delivery of a custom built machine to blend our hummus more quickly and to the perfect consistency.
Built by our neighbours, a pair of engineering specialists whose main businesses are in motorcycle restoration and industrial machinery, the machine comes complete with a 7.5 horsepower motor and can turn out 20 kilos of hummus in exactly one minute!
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ItÕs not only much quicker and easier to use but also more energy-efficient. Previously we were using top of the range magimixes which would only manage 1.5kgs in about 4 minutes.
As well as the ease of use, there is also the satisfaction of being a part (albeit small) of the creation of a purpose built new machine.
Organic Food Fayre
It was great to see so many of you at the Soil AssociationÕs annual shindig in Bristol last month. We thoroughly enjoyed the show and also delighted in the challenge of catering at ŌThe HubÕ cafˇ, which was a first for us.
The weather kept some people away sadly, but we hope those of you that attended had a fun day out, sampling lots of exciting culinary delights and being inspired as well as getting full up!
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Where to find us...
Bath: Goodies Deli, Larkhall Eades Greengrocers, Julian Road Squeeze Juice Bar, Pulteney Bridge Epicurean Deli, Northumberland Place
Farmers Market – Every Saturday at Green Park Station (parking adjacent)
Bristol: Wild Oats, Blackboy Hill Better Food, St. Werburghs Earthbound, Clifton Organique, Totterdown Spar, Hotwells Acorn Caterers
Farmers Market – Every Wednesday in Corn Street, with the treasure trove of St. NicholasÕ Market on the doorstep Special Christmas Market to be held on Monday 22nd December
Also at: Whiterow Country Foods, Beckington Frome Wholefoods, Frome Farringtons, Farrington Gurney |
