Beet and Pesto Napoleon! GF, V, SCD!

What a day, what a day. I’ll tell you what, it really is a luxury to live in a place where you can see the sunset every night.

Our home in Cincinnati is in a neighborhood with lots of tall trees, so you can’t see the sunset. But here in the Northwoods, with the vast, expansive lake with western exposure, the sunset is our nightly entertainment. There truly is something so tranquil and peaceful about a sunset. It’s like God telling you, “everything is going to be okay.” :)

Beet and Pesto Napoleon!

So anywho, tonight for dinner, I went a little whimsical…again:) There’s just something about beets — they bring out the Dr. Seuss in me.

what a plate!

Well, these weren’t purple beets — although I do love that dramatic hue. No, these were golden beets – a delicacy I’ve never before experienced!

lovely:)

So what would be more fun than a napoleon out of beets! So now for the filling — not cauliflower…something green…broccoli — eeh — I know…peas and basil!! A Green Pea Pesto! Perfect. Done.

such vibrant colors!

And it’s Gluten Free, Vegan, and Specific Carb Diet friendly!

creamy green pea pesto!

Here’s what you need: (Serves 1 – makes 2 Napoleon)

1 golden beet, sliced in 1/2 inch rounds

Filling:
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
1 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted
1 garlic clove, chopped
juice of 1/2 a lemon
3/4 cup basil
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Scrub and dry your beets (no need to peel, just scrub). Place your beet rounds on a tin-foil-lined, olive-oil-sprayed baking sheet. Spritz them with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake for 25 – 30 minutes minutes, flipping half way through.

Meanwhile, place your filling ingredients in the food processor, and process until smooth and creamy, scraping the sides several times.

To assemble: Place about 2 Tbsp of filling between each beet slice. Garnish with fresh chopped basil.

wowsers!

This dish was fabulous! I just love beets – they’re sweet, they’re savory, and they’re the perfect canvas for pretty much anything, but especially pesto! They were wonderfully chewy yet slightly firm, and coupled with the creamy green pea pesto – it was fabulous!!

terrific!

The flavors were outrageous too. The pesto was bright and fresh from the lemon and basil, with a subtle garlic note. Paired with the sweet and earthy beets, it was just delightful!

mmmm!

And it was a beautiful dish — the bright yellow-orange, with the pop of green, it was just lovely!

What’s your favorite type of napoleon? Sweet or savory?

Until tomorrow!

Need a food processor? Here's the one I use and love along with other tools that made this recipe possible: