Tiny titans of flavour, no one would guess these candies are scrupulously healthy. Underneath their neon pink dusting lies some of Mother N’s finest superfoods: beetroot, seaweed and raw almonds. That bold pigment that gives beetroot its Harry Potter glimmer is where the magic lies.
Deep red-coloured foods like beetroot and onions store powerful chemicals called betacyanins. These compounds love your liver and are believed to support the body’s detoxification process. This might be why beets have charmed every detox clinic from North America to the West of Ireland.
Deep red-coloured foods like beetroot and onions store powerful chemicals called betacyanins
You don’t need to stick to beetroot powder for the recipe to work – try a Peruvian powdered fruit called lúcuma. Apparently lúcuma is the maple syrup of South America. A mere whiff of this ambrosial substance has the ability to drive the feline persuasion wild. Move over, Justin Bieber, there’s a new fixation on the block.
- Destone the dates before dropping them into a food processor.
- Add the remaining ingredients except the beetroot powder for dusting later.
- Whizz on a low speed for 1–2 minutes.
- Using a teaspoon amount, mould the candy mix into teeny bonbons. Your hands will become slippery, aiding the process. Expect to get around 30–35 candies from the batch, depending on how many times the teaspoon fell into your mouth.
- Chill for 24 hours before rolling in the beetroot powder. Any sooner, and the candy will drink up the coating. No harm in looting one or seven in the meantime.
- Store in the fridge for up to 1 month.
Extract taken from the Extra Virgin Kitchen Recipes by Susan Jane White.
