Create something a bit different for lunch with vibrant chunks of organic roasted beetroot with garlic served up in a wrap with griddled halloumi and salad leaves drizzled with a fresh Greek yoghurt dressing.
I’m taking the #OrganicUnboxed challenge, and was sent an enormous box of organic produce last week to see what recipe I would come up with. It felt a bit like Ready, Steady, Cook! Except Ainsley Harriot and Fern Britton weren’t breathing down my neck as I tried to decide what to make. Imagine?! Actually no, I’d rather not.
The great unboxing
As you can see here there’s loads of lovely stuff in our mystery box, from beautiful leeks to wholesome spelt flour, delicious dark chocolate, butter, and yes, gin! The boys loved getting it all out to see what was what.
Of all the ingredients the fresh beetroot immediately captured my culinary imagination.
I’d never roasted beetroot before and along with the garlic i’d been sent I thought this would make a lovely pairing. With a generous drizzle of the organic olive oil, some sea salt flakes and a few sprigs of fresh thyme it went into the oven. Peeling and chopping beetroot leaves you looking like you’re fresh from a crime scene though, so wear some disposable gloves if you can!
You could serve this roasted dish up as a side to the organic steak, simply grilled, but as I was feeding my vegetarian husband I opted to serve mine up in soft tortilla wraps with some grilled halloumi cheese and a fresh organic Greek yogurt dressing.
The amazing looking meat i’ve been sent has gone into the freezer and will be brought out once barbecue season kicks in. I’m thinking spiced lamb burgers, sweet and sticky chilli and maple glazed pork belly strips and the steak straight up with lots of glorious sides.
The benefits of organic…
Organic food may cost a little bit more, but when I can I will spend a bit extra at the supermarket because of facts like this:
Organic crops are exposed to fewer pesticides
Organic livestock (chicken, beef, lamb, pork etc.) are truly free range, meaning they have more space to roam and enjoy high welfare standards
Organic dairy cows are free range and pasture fed which really comes through in the taste
Organic farming is great for farmers and more environmentally friendly
Recent research has shown that organic crops are up to 60% higher in a number of key
antioxidants1 and that both organic milk and meat contain around 50% more beneficial
omega‐3 fatty acids2
If you want to find out more about the #OrganicUnboxed campaign check out the video below
#ad
I was really pleased with how the wraps turned out, and the roasted beetroot and garlic leftovers were great mixed in with salads through the week. The flavour of the beetroot really sweetens when you roast it, and the garlic becomes more mellow.
It’s a deliciously different lunch full of vibrant colour and bold flavours that really makes the most of the organic ingredients.
Roasted Beetroot, Garlic and Halloumi Wraps
Serves 2-4
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 40 mins
Ingredients
300g raw beetroot
1 bulb garlic
olive oil
sea salt
5 thyme sprigs
1 x 225g block halloumi cheese
salad leaves
4 soft tortilla wraps
For the dressing
80g Greek yoghurt
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
1. Pre-heat the oven to 200C, 180C fan, gas 6. Peel the beetroot and chop into wedges and put into a roasting tin. Separate the cloves from the bulb of garlic, don’t bother peeling and toss these in with the beetroot. Give it all a generous drizzle of olive oil, a scattering of sea salt flakes and shake it all around. Finally add some thyme sprigs and then roast for 30-40 mins until the beetroot has softened.
2. Make the dressing by putting all the ingredients in a jam jar and giving them a good shake. Check the seasoning and adjust accordingly.
3. Slice the block of halloumi cheese and then fry in a griddle pan for a few minutes on each side.
4. Turn the roasted beetroot and garlic into a serving dish and put it in the middle of the table with the pot of dressing, plate of wraps and a dish of salad leaves. Then everyone can get stuck in building their lunch!
For more on the #OrganicUnboxed campaign visit their social channels:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/organicuk
Twitter: @organicukfood
Instagram: @organicukfood
Disclosure: I have been commissioned to create this recipe and promote this campaign on my blog. All views and recipe ideas are my own.
Linky love
I’m entering this into April’s round of Simple and in Season, hosted here on Feeding Boys.
Meat Free Mondays with Jac from Tinned Tomatoes – a great place for some veggie inspiration
Recipe of the Week with A Mummy Too
I love wraps, and you’ve filled this one with so many wonderful foods! Roasted beetroot is a dream, as is halloumi. I agree on choosing organic, there are so many nasties out there that it’s wise to avoid them.
Thanks Kate, beetroot and halloumi together are so delicious!
I used to love our organic deliveries. Reading this makes me want to restart them. We lost track since moving house.
The wraps sound so good! Light but tasty. Could do with one now.
X
Thanks Lisa… yes an organic weekly delivery would be lovely!
Wow – that’s a substantial box of goodies! Love the wraps – halloumi and beetroot is such a fab combination 🙂
Thanks Jeanne – yep the goodies were most welcome – i’m still working my way through them…
Roast beetroot is one of my very favourite things! And I can imagine how good it was with the halloumi. What a lovely box of organic goodies!
The box was such a treat Sian, but yes roast beetroot is a thing of beauty 🙂
That’s my kind of wrap Katie. I love beetroot. I had some on a wrap too today with watercress, sundried tomatoes,cucumber and mozzarella. Such a wonderful lunch. I must try yours too. Thanks for entering this into Meat Free Mondays too.
Ooh that sounds like a lovely wrap Jac…
I eat tortilla wraps most weekdays for lunch now, I’m loving this filling suggestion and will have to try it!
We get through a lot of wraps in this house Sarah… the boys love them!
The filling looks gorgeous and I definitely agree that roasting vegetables like beetroot and garlic really brings out the flavour! The contents of the box look fantastic – I’d definitely be happy if I got one! I probably wouldn’t be able to decide what to make though -spoilt for choice.
Thanks Corina… yes roasting veggies is really transformative!
These look so simple and delicious. The facts you’ve noted about organic are interesting – 60% oof antioxidants retained in organic veg – That’s phenomenal!
It’s staggering isn’t it! It really is worth investing in organic when possible…
This is like my idea of heaven – only I’d serve it with a mahoosive organic steak, as you’ve suggested. Have never considered putting beetroot and halloumi in a wrap but what a great idea. I often feel like I’m on Ready, Steady, Cook when I get a box like this!
Steak and beetroot… a lovely choice!
Oh what a great choice you have made for this challenge. I love roasting beetroot and combining it with Halloumi is such a perfect wrap filling. A lovely yoghurt dressing to go with it is just right and I love the look of the rest of your box which is packed full of lovely ingredients. I am amazed at just how much more nutritious organic vegetables are and I definitley think carrots, apples, and tomaotes taste betters so dried organic fruits.
Thanks for this recipe, just what I need as I had beets in my vegbox this week.
However, the reason I am writing this comment is to counter some of the claims you made about organic crops:
1) They use *more* pesiticides, more harmful pesticides and there is no/less regulation regarding their usage.
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/science-sushi/httpblogsscientificamericancomscience-sushi20110718mythbusting-101-organic-farming-conventional-agriculture/
(item #1)
“Many natural pesticides have been found to be potential – or serious – health risks.”
Gold, L., Slone, T., Stern, B., Manley, N., & Ames, B. (1992). Rodent carcinogens: setting priorities Science, 258 (5080), 261-265 DOI: 10.1126/science.1411524
2) Organic farming is not more environmentally friendly as the yield is lower, i.e. more land is used. This means more machinery and petrol being used. Tillage of land releases more carbon than the no-till of conventional farming. The fertilisier from cow manure means a higher methane production (= more global warming).
https://www.geneticliteracyproject.org/2016/03/31/is-organic-farming-sustainable-5-carbon-footprint-challenges/
3) Study claiming organic food more nutritious ‘deeply flawed’, say independent scientists
https://www.geneticliteracyproject.org/2014/07/15/study-claiming-organic-food-more-nutritious-deeply-flawed-say-independent-scientists/
Claims of nutritional superiority of organic milk, meat challenged by scientists
https://www.geneticliteracyproject.org/2016/02/16/claims-nutritional-superiority-organic-milk-meat-challenged-scientists/
I love the look of these wraps – they look so delicious and so healthy. I bet the combination of roasted beetroot and halloumi tastes amazing! Definitely pinning 🙂 Eb x
This sounds like a really tasty and simple beetroot recipe. I am very big on beetroot and I’ll be sure to try this recipe!
Thanks Monika… it’s a lovely combination of flavours!
Oh my gosh this sounds like my idea of heaven! I love halloumi with ANYTHING 😀 Bet it’s great with beetroot!
It’s a lovely combo Becca!