Bat Out Of Hell Beetloaf (Virtual Vegan Potluck Party Recipe)

Imagine my joy when I stopped at the market this weekend and found a mound of huge, luscious golden beets! I knew immediately they were going to go into a loaf (a recipe I’d found only a few days before), and I bought so many that I had some left over for a couple of salads. Lucky, lucky me. Beet heaven.

Speaking of heaven and the beets (or, rather, its homophone: beats), there’s this band I really love from the Netherlands who make some great electro-funk. Kraak & Smaak have been around for a decade, and early in their career picked up interest from electro greats like Pete Tong and Annie Nightingale. The trio has released their fifth studio album, Chrome Waves. The tunes will whip up a dance-party storm in your kitchen and you can stream it on their website as well as check out this video for the song “Good For The City”.

I’m not the only one thinking delicious, golden loafs and music this season. Fellow Calgary bloggers (and music lovers) baked a ginger brown banana loaf after finding out about Lou Reed’s death. The ladies behind this blog have fantastic taste in music and are actually professional writers, so they do good things and I recommend following them.

Now, I’m not a professional writer, nor a real artist, but every so often I like to put my pen to paper whether it be to draw or write. As I know a few people will probably be talking about the greatness of beets in this virtual vegan potluck, I thought I’d instead write an ode, because why not.

An Ode to Beets

You’re the brightest reds of nature’s bounty;
to paint and dye with your juice is a treat!
Standing tall on my page, a proud Mountie,
your deep nat’ral crimson from head to feet.

Your taste like no other, earthy and sweet.
Eat as a salad, soup, pickles or juice –
A dish feels proud to hold your zesty meat
not even knowing vitamins you boast…

Well, it was a nice try… much better than that is this amazing recipe:

Bat Out Of Hell Beet Loaf

(Recipe adapted from Gigi’s Golden Beat Bread)

Makes a dozen slices.

• 1 pound golden beets, greenery removed
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup unbleached flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup turbinado sugar
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil
• 3 tablespoons light vegetable oil
• 5 tablespoons vegan milk
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1. If you are working with large beets, cut the beats into quarters so each piece is about 2 ounces or 60 grams. Stand beets upright in a saucepan. Fill the saucepan with about 1-inch or 3 centimeters of water and bring the water to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, cover, and steam beets until tender, about 40 minutes.
2. Carefully remove beets from saucepan. Peel them by holding them in a paper towel and rubbing away the skin. Coarsely chop the peeled beets into chunks. Mash them until smooth.
3. Preheat oven to 350˚F (175˚C) and grease a large loaf pan.
4. Sift together the whole-wheat flour, unbleached flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
5. Stir together 1 cup mashed beets and 1/2 cup water in a medium bowl.
6. With a hand mixer or whisk, beat the sugar, coconut oil, vegetable oil and milk in a large bowl. Beat in the vinegar and beet mixture until well blended.
7. Gradually stir the sifted dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.
8. Fold the walnuts into batter. Be careful not to over‑mix. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (about 1 hour). Cool slightly before bringing to the party.

Now that you’ve tried this, you can go explore more! Go back to In Pursuit Of More or go onward to Afro Vegan Chick.