This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Love Beets. All opinions are 100% mine.
Beets and I have had a long, flirtatious relationship but I’ve never been able to commit. I’ve desired to love them, candidly more than I’ve been able to. We’ve had moments together that were special, I cannot lie. I’ve marinated them, grated, in some apple cider vinegar and made a lovely winter salad, using the liquid from soaking them in a divine dressing. I’ve roasted them and paired them with goat cheese which I loved. I’ve tried to prepare them in other ways I found more challenging. If I were honest I’d have to admit I’ve been a beet-eater, not a beet-lover; until now.
Being Valentine’s Day, the day of declaration of our true loves, and with February being American Heart Health month, it seemed the perfect time to share my embrace of beets. Did you know beets are kind to your heart? Beets are rich in potassium, which is one of the main minerals responsible for muscle contraction, including the contraction of the heart. A diet rich in beets and other potassium-rich foods can help decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.
We all know about ‘bad cholesterol’, but did you know the antioxidants present in beets, can limit the harm that too much cholesterol in the blood can cause? Through helping prevent “bad” cholesterol (LDL) from being oxidized, antioxidants help prevent the buildup of harmful, artery-clogging plaque. This is only the tip of the iceberg. Beets aid in lowering blood pressure, improving exercise stamina and performance, as well as being a great source of folic acid in pre-natal care. I think maybe you are starting to love beets now too.
I’d love to take sole credit for my love of beets but I had some help from the (perfectly named) Love Beets company. Launched in 2010, Love Beets specializes in a line of all-natural, freshly cooked and flavor-infused beets that are sold in major retail food stores across North America. I found them originally last year at Whole Foods and was drawn by their happy graphics. Products include marinated baby beets, freshly packed steamed beets and tasty beet juices, jazzing up the beets our Grandmother’s used to make to keep pace with a more current flavor palate. All of Love Beets’ products contain no artificial colors or preservatives, most are gluten-free (noted on their website and packaging) and are certified Kosher. Select products have been certified organic by the USDA and the company is working toward non-GMO certification.
I was fortunate to sample several of Love Beets products giving way to a heart-and-love perfect recipe for Valentine’s Day: Luscious Ginger-Beet Sorbet. One would not normally jump from a beet, usually thought of in a savory context, to a dessert. However the core flavors in the Sweetfire marinated baby beets were ripe to mix it up with a combination of subtle chili oil and sweet vinegar flavors. Marrying the mouth-watering Sweetfire-infused beets with ginger, orange, honey and cinnamon formed a perfect union and a luscious, flavor-layered sorbet. The other infused flavored baby beets (Honey & Ginger which is not gluten-free, Balsamic and Organic Vinegar) all gave me ideas for many fun dishes. If you prefer a pure beet flavor the steamed vacuum-packed beets take the prep work out of the equation for you, delivering beets that are ready to go for any recipe.
Luscious Ginger-Beet Sorbet
Ingredients
- 1-6.5 ounce package Love Beets Baby Beets in Sweetfire Marinade
- 1 cup Water
- ½ cup Granulated Sugar
- Zest of 1 Orange
- ½ teaspoon fresh Ginger , peeled and diced
- 3 small sprigs fresh Thyme
- 1 cup freshly squeezed Orange Juice (3-4 oranges)
- 1 ½ tablespoon Honey
- ¼ teaspoon ground Cinnamon
Instructions
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In a medium saucepan combine the beets, water, sugar, orange zest, ginger and thyme over medium heat. Bring mixture to a boil, allow to boil for one minute and remove from heat. Cover and allow to sit for 30 minutes.
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Place a fine mesh strainer on a medium mixing bowl and pour the mixture through the strainer. Pour the strained liquid into a blender and add the beets as well. Blend until the mixture is fully pureed.
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Place beet puree into a sealed container and refrigerate until it is fully cooled (approximately an hour).
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While the beet puree is cooling, combine the fresh orange juice, honey and cinnamon in a small saucepan over low heat. Whisk just until the honey dissolved (2-3 minutes) and remove from heat. Place in a covered container and chill in the refrigerator.
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When both mixtures are completely chilled, add them together and whisk to fully combine.
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Process the liquid in an ice cream maker following the manufacturer’s instructions. Once sorbet is fully frozen in the machine, remove and place in a freezer-safe container to chill overnight for best consistency. To Freeze without a Machine: Place sorbet in a shallow freezer-proof pan. Allow to almost freeze fully (1 to 1 1/2 hours), and stir the mixture completely. Repeat the freeze/stir process a two more time times to ensure a consistent texture (this breaks up ice crystallization).
Scott says
How would you make with beets from scratch? Boiled or roasted, first?
Toni Dash says
I wouldn’t know Scott. This recipe was developed with these particular prepared marinated beets as the main ingredient. You could look at the Love Beets website and see if you could reverse engineer how to replicated the beets at home based on how they describe them. Good luck!
Lori @ Foxes Love Lemons says
I love beets, and I love Love Beets, too! I’ll have to try the Sweetfire flavor – so intriguing!
The Wimpy Vegetarian says
I love this way of getting my husband to like beets. I’m a big fan of them, but my husband not so much. And the photos are gorgeous! Perfect V-Day post.
Angie | Big Bear's Wife says
The color, oh the color! It’s just beautiful! I love it!
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says
I love beets and this sorbet would suit me just fine. We don’t have those fancy Love Beets in Australia but I’m going to give this a try.
Toni Dash says
Maureen I did not know you are in Australia! The beets are marinated in some chili oil and vinegar leaving them slightly spicy and sweet at the same time. I think you could do it on your own but of course your kitchen will look like a murder scene (something else I appreciate not experiencing when using Love Beets!).
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says
I’m a Yank in Oz 🙂
Lauren @ Healthy Delicious says
I never in a million years would have though to make a beet sorbet! So creative!! I need to keep an eye out for those beets, too. They look awesome.
Lora @cakeduchess says
I am such a huge beet fan…just love LOVE BEETS…have got to try them! Fantastic recipe that is so perfect for Valentine’s Day. Have a sweet day, my friend!
Joelen says
I was never a beet fan until years ago… and now I love them! What a strikingly beautiful color and I have this on my list to try!
julia says
Wow this looks so fresh and tasty! I love the color-perfect for Valentine’s Day!
Christie - Food Done Light says
I love that you used beets in a sorbet. What a gorgeous color and flavor. I haven’t seen the Love Baby Beets near us. What a great idea.
Julia says
Oh my gosh, how COOL are those beets?!! As a beet-lover myself, I’m very excited about the cause, that product, and this insanely delicious sorbet. Amazing, my friend!
Nicole says
Looks delicious!