After a brief foray into cool Autumn weather, we are back in sweltering Summer temperatures. I’ve put away my flannels and brought back my sundresses and am guzzling icy cold peach juice mixed with soda water.
I am craving cooler weather and lush green mountains, so today we’re taking a visual jaunt to the Black Forest in Germany during late Summer.
My dear friends Rita and Slawik lived outside Baden-Baden for a while and a couple of years ago I was able to visit them for ten days of hiking and feasting and talking a mile a minute.
I love this area so much, especially during late Summer. The mountains are criss-crossed with trails and twisting roads leading from dense forest through vivid green meadows.
The undergrowth is lush with wildflowers and brambles, weathered pieces of wood and moss-encrusted rocks. If I were a painter I’d park myself on a fallen log and try to capture every feathery fern and fallen leaf.
Queen Anne’s Lace has been my favorite wildflower since I was a little girl, gathering bouquets of the lacy blossoms in British Columbia.
Dreaming of Germany has me dreaming of German food as well – potatoes, cabbage, and beetroot. It’s too scorching hot for casseroles or soups, so I’ve been roasting heaps of veggies and eating them cold.
After making roasted cauliflower with Thai spices and loving it, I added the spice mix to beetroot before roasting and don’t think I’ll ever be able to roast beetroot without it in the future. The cumin and coriander go beautifully with the earthy vegetable and the lime zest adds a delectable brightness.
Are you dreaming of a special climate or place this week? I’d love to hear about it. xo
Thai Spice Mix Recipe
Mix together the following:
1 tsp each of coriander powder, garlic powder, and onion powder
1/2 tsp each of sea salt, sugar, cumin, turmeric, dried mint, powdered ginger, and chili powder
zest of one lime
Roasted Thai-Spiced Beetroot Recipe
Ingredients:
4 large beetroot, peeled, halved and sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
2 Tbsp olive oil
1-2 Tbsp Thai seasoning (see above for recipe)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 F (205 C).
Place beetroot pieces in large mixing bowl, drizzle with grape seed oil. Toss gently to coat.
Sprinkle over seasoning and toss to coat.
Place baking paper on cookie sheet and spread cauliflower evenly. Add more salt if necessary.
Bake 25-30 minutes until beetroot is browned and edges crispy.
Serve warm.
I’m thinking I need to mix that Thai spice blend up with some sweet potato wedges! Yum!
Oh yes, @joanneeatswellwithothers:disqus ! That would be fantastic. 🙂
Yum! I have to make those spiced beetroots! What a delicious recipe!
I think you will like them, @katyabroad:disqus 🙂 They’d be great as a side for ugly eggs too. 🙂
Sounds delicious Krista, you are making me so hungry 🙂
That makes me happy, @wanderingsheila:disqus 🙂
I love beets!! (I’m guessing beet root is what we call simply “beets” here), and this recipes looks fabulous. Your photos are so beautiful! I’ve really enjoyed this year watching the weather opposite to me as we flow through the year. Our spring is in full swing… though I can’t say we had much of a winter here in San Diego.
Yes, @kimlivlife:disqus 🙂 They call it beetroot here in Oz and I’ve picked up the habit. 🙂 I really love them too – such powerhouses of nutrition. 🙂
These beets sound incredible! Beautiful photos as well!
Thanks so much, @mimirippee:disqus 🙂 It’s great to meet you!
Ah, I’ve only been to the black forest once, many years ago, and it was so beautiful. Thanks for the memories and a lovely recipe!
You are so welcome, @lizposmyk:disqus 🙂 I’m so glad you liked this area too. So much beauty!
I’m dreaming of the pacific northwest. Love this beetroot recipe, never had thai spiced beets before, sounds delicious!
Ohh, that is a lovely place to dream of, @disqus_Jw8DFomFS9:disqus 🙂 It’s so lush and green and cool there too. 🙂
OMG I love these beets! okay beetroot – but any way you say the name, I want some.
I would totally share the lot with you, @disqus_v9uRgGTGfe:disqus 🙂 The tray between us, each of us with a fork. 🙂
We had winter here last week then 25C at the weekend and now back to 15C today. Spring is showing it’s face at long last and not before time! I have beetroots in my fridge – and they are apparently organic. I’ll be roasting them too.
Such wonky weather, @disqus_xRgkTDNCQJ:disqus !! I’m so glad your Spring has finally arrived. That is such a glorious time of year. 🙂
Your beetroot looks so colourful and it must be full of flavour. The weather here has suddenly become warmer again too although you can tell the nights are becoming cooler and if going out in the evening you need to remember to bring something to wrap around your shoulders. The photos of Germany are stunning xx
Yes, I just started bringing a pashmina around with me, Hotly Spiced. 🙂 This morning is finally cool and it feels glorious. 🙂
I love taking a walk down memory lane with you and your photos! Such gorgeous images. I will have to try your spice mix for beetroot as I have beets growing in the garden at the moment and I am always looking for new ways with them.
Thank you so much, @GourmetGetaway:disqus 🙂 I had beetroot growing in my garden too but something came through this week and ate them all. 🙁 Ah well – at least I can keep getting them at the market. 🙂
what a lovely recipe for beetroot! We were in the Black Forest a few years ago, it is stunning out of winter 🙂
The Black Forest IS stunning, @tandysinclair:disqus 🙂 I’ve been in winter and summer and although the winter scenery is amazing, I still prefer the summer/autumn when I can be out in it, trekking through the woods. 🙂
Another great sounding recipe. . .it goes in my file!
Thanks so much, @disqus_WseMqaTPwi:disqus 🙂 I hope you like it!
I have some beetroots in the fridge right now and was wondering what to do with them! Perfect! There is usually only a couple of places I want to be most of the time, either here in Colorado enjoying The Rockies, or back home in England (or somewhere in Europe) Germany would definitely be up there on the top of the list. I love new places, so I’d prolly just never stay put!
I’m with you loving so many places at once, @coffeeandcrumpets:disqus 🙂 I fall in love with nearly every place I go and am loath to leave. 🙂 But then I love the next place too so it all works out. 🙂 The Rockies are stunningly beautiful. I grew up near the Canadian part of them. 🙂
gorgeous beetroot pic! i can’t eat it anymore after trying a beetroot/chocolate cake recipe last fall. long story, but this recipe might bring me, or at least my hubby back to beetroot happiness. looking at joanne’s note, sweet potato wedges could be good too. happy eating!
http://mlleparadis.blogspot.com
That sounds like a traumatizing food episode indeed, paradis! I think sweet potatoes would be a delicious substitute. 🙂
Thai spiced beetroot sounds delightful! My eyes always seem to be bigger than my cook book when beets come into season, so it’s high time I expanded my arsenal for ways to eat them. Yum!
Your pictures of Germany remind me of the Fort Qu’Appelle Valley in Southern Saskatchewan – bald prairie on the hill-tops and dense bush in the folds of the valleys. I went to summer camp there as a child and again as a teen staffer. That’s where I’m dreaming of being these days: hiking summer hills, picking tiny daisies and scrounging for Saskatoons in the bush.
Ohhhh, you have brought back so many delicious and lovely memories today, @rachelfriesen:disqus 🙂 How I miss Saskatoon berries, picking them still warm from the sun. Happy sigh. 🙂 Fort Qu’Appelle Valley sounds absolutely gorgeous. 🙂
It’s the strangest weather huh?! Had the heater on the other night, and the aircon tonight. Beaut recipe lovely, I adore beetroot, they bring a dish to life, doesn’t hurt that they are super good for you too.
Hmmmmm…. I’m the opposite, I am willing Summer to hang about just a wee bit longer. Wouldn’t mind lazing on a beach, brew in hand, touching up on the tan, meditating to the sounds of the ocean. Any warm climate beach will do me just fine. 🙂
Happy Thursday and week ahead to you sweet lady. xxx
It is crazy, Anna! 🙂 I’m wishing you many more happy, warm days on the beach. That sounds like pure bliss. 🙂 xo
I can’t wait to try your Thai spiced beets, they sound good. The area around Baden-Baden is beautiful, the food is great and the wines are wonderful. You have me thinking of returning. 🙂
I want to return too, @karenbackroadjournal:disqus !! 🙂 Hopefully one day soon we will both have our German dreams come true. 🙂
I’ve been thinking of these roasted beetroot ever since you posted the recipe and the other day I tried them…delicious! Now for the cauliflower! Thanks Krista for a fabulous easy to do variation on roast veggies!