RECIPE | Whip up these ‘delicious and addictive’ beetroot chocolate brownies

Cooking with Love is the second cookbook in as many years from Jozi resident Trish van der Nest who beyond her food expertise is also a homeopath, lawyer, bioethicist and divorce mediator.  At heart Trish likes nothing more than family and friends gathered around her table enjoying a meal she has prepared.

The book is full of ideas from light meals and main course dishes to desserts and bakes to suit all tastes. It includes many vegetarian options and a section on homemade relishes and preserves. It is also studded with many surprises like the beetroot brownies which, I can attest, are both delicious and addictive.

The beauty of the book is its convenient A4 size and soft cover which means it can easily be slipped into your bag for a weekend away or family holiday.

The mouth-watering photographs will make you really want to cook and the accessible ideas will give you just the inspiration on those days when you are not sure what to prepare for dinner.

And here's that fab brownie recipe:

CHOCOLATEY BEETROOT BROWNIES

Fresh Earth, a wonderful neighbourhood restaurant and health food store near my home in Emmarentia, Johannesburg, makes delicious vegetarian food and sells many ingredients one cannot find easily elsewhere. This recipe was given to me by a friend who eats there regularly.

Makes: 10—12 brownies

Ingredients:

2 medium raw beetroots

200g butter, at room temperature

200g dark chocolate (70% cocoa)

4 large eggs

150g coconut blossom sugar (or use the same amount of granulated sugar)

5ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract

150g almond flour

Cocoa powder, for dusting

Method:

1. To prepare the beetroot, place in a pot and cover with water. Bring to the boil and cook for 40—60 minutes, until tender.
2. Drain and set aside until cool, then peel off the skins. Cut into chunks and purée in a food processor or blender. You need about 220g beetroot purée.
3. Melt the butter and chocolate in a glass bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat, add the puréed beetroot and stir through.
4. Place the eggs, sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl and beat until creamy. This can take up to ten minutes.
5. Pour the chocolate and beetroot mixture into the egg mixture and stir to combine.
6. Gently fold in the almond flour, one spoon at a time, until incorporated.
7. Pour the mixture into a square baking pan (± 26cm) that has been lined with baking paper or sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
8. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 40—45 minutes, or until firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
9. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 15 minutes before turning out onto a rack. When completely cool, cut into squares and dust with cocoa powder.

• 'Cooking with Love' by Trish van der Nest is published by Penguin and retails for R320.