Crimson Matchstick Mashup! GF, V, SCD, & Paleo!

Hey guys!

October?!! Ok, seriously? This is getting ridiculous. Time is absolutely FLYING!!

And it doesn't help that things have been C.R.AAA.Z.Y around here lately. But in a good way!

Actually, I have some very exciting things to share with you!

First, one of my recipes was featured in the magazine, Paleo Living! Yep! My Purple People Pleaser Salad was spotlighted in their latest issue! Paleo Living is an awesome magazine and resource for all things Paleo (and by its nature, SCD!) And best of all, the owner has given my readers a special offer for a free three month trial! Just use this link: http://paleomagazine.com/glutenfreehappytummy

Next order of business: I booked an exciting gig! I'm a new lead singer of a cover band!! We play pop/Latin fusion in NY, NJ, DC, and Boston! Crazy exciting, huh!?

So between that, school, and my mother visiting this weekend (!!!), I've been running around like a wild woman!

So anywho, onto the food!

I love beets. Seriously one of my favorite foods. Well, this dish highlights then beautifully. What is it?

I call it my Crimson Matchstick Mashup:)

Roasted red pepper and beet matchsticks topped with a luxurious broccoli pesto cream! Delicious!

And it's gluten free, vegan, Specific Carb Diet friendly, and Paleo!

Here's what you need (serves 1)

1 large beet, cut into 1/4 inch rounds
1 bell pepper (I used yellow), cut into thirds
1/2 avocado, diced

Pesto cream:
1 cup frozen broccoli
3/4 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup pine nuts
3/4 cup fresh basil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 garlic clove
1 Tbsp EVOO
Salt and pepper

Baby spinach

Garnish:
Basil
Pine nuts

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. On a tin-foil-lined, olive-oil-sprayed baking sheet, place your beet rounds and pepper thirds in a single layer. Spritz with olive oil and bake for about 30-35 minutes, flipping once halfway through. Hit with salt and pepper when they come out of the oven.

Meanwhile, steam your broccoli and peas by either steaming them in a steamer basket, or nuking them in the microwave for about 3 minutes. Combine your steamed broccoli and peas with the rest of the pesto ingredients in your food processor. Process until smooth, scraping the sides several times.

When your beets and peppers come out of the oven, let them cool slightly, and then cut them into matchsticks - about 1/4 inch thick. Finally, dice your avocado.

To assemble, lay a bed of spinach on your plate. Top with the beet and pepper match sticks, and the diced avocado. Top that with your pesto cream. Garnish with fresh basil and toasted pine nuts.

My goodness, how delicious was this dish?!!

I made this on the evening that my family had our pictures taken, so Anna May, from Anna May Photography took some beautiful shots of the dish and some cooking action shots:) check them out below!

There's truly something magical about roasted beets. The sugars caramelize and become intensely sweet with a wonderful earthy tone. And same with the peppers. There's a smokey sweetness to them too. So that sweetness paired with the fresh basil and bright lemon was just perfect!

And then the pesto cream. Good golly was this wonderful! The texture was creamy and rich, yet surprisingly light and ethereal. It was the perfect textural compliment to the crunchy/chewy beets and crisp baby spinach. And oh boy, the avocado was so buttery and was the perfect creamy touch.

Finally, it was a stunning dish. The bright green pesto against the deep purple beets made the dish just jump off the plate.

A winner for sure!

And thanks Anna May Photography for the beautiful photos!! Be sure to check out her website! :)


Want more GFHT?  You can now get my e-cookbook, The Best of GlutenFreeHappyTummy for only $2.99 on Amazon!