Beetroot, Pearled Spelt & Goats Cheese Salad

by Liz Earle, MBE

Cooking in the evening is the perfect opportunity to experiment with exciting new ingredients, and pearled spelt is a great place to start. An ancient grain and a very healthy alternative to rice, it has a wonderful nutty taste and is a good source of fibre, B vitamins and protein. Served here with antioxidant-rich beetroot and deliciously creamy goat’s cheese, it is a great way to give your mid-week meals a nutritious wholegrain twist. Recipe and photograph taken from Liz Earle Wellbeing magazine.  Visit www.lizearlewellbeing.com for more delicious recipes using the best of British seasonal food.

Serves 2 (approx 500kcal per serving)

Ingredients

• 400g beetroot, scrubbed and chopped
• 3 garlic whole cloves, skin on
• Small bunch of thyme, leaves only
• 1 lemon, juice
• 1 tsp rapeseed oil
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp English mustard
• 125g cooked organic pearled spelt
• Small bunch of flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• 75g soft rindless goat's cheese, crumbled

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/ 400°F/gas mark 6. Put the beetroot, garlic and thyme in a roasting tin, pour over the lemon juice and roast for 45 minutes. Cover the beets after 25 minutes with foil, and continue to cook until tender.
2. In a bowl, make the dressing by mixing the oil, vinegar and mustard with some seasoning. Remove the garlic from the roasting tin and squeeze the flesh into the dressing ingredients, stir to combine, then pour over the pearled spelt.
3. Fold through the cooked beetroot and chopped parsley, divide between bowls and dot over the goat’s cheese before serving.

Wellbeing wisdom

1. Pearled spelt is an excellent source of dietary fibre, helping keep our digestive system healthy and regular.
2. Beetroot is rich in skin-saving antioxidants