Beet Loaf

1 cup uncooked quinoa

2 raw golden beet
1 small rutabaga

   1 medium carrot

   1 head garlic (6-8 cloves will be used in recipe)

   1 onion, minced

   1/2 cup bread crumbs

   2 tbl fresh basil, minced

   2 tbl fresh parsley, minced

   2 eggs, beaten

   1 tsp garlic salt

   2 tbl tomato paste or adobo sauce (makes it a little spicier)

   1 tbl ketchup

   1 tbl whole grain mustard

   1 tbl olive oil

   salt + pepper, to taste  

Cook the quinoa like steamed rice (2:1 ration, water to grain). Bring water to a boil, stir in quinoa (rinsed) and cover. Simmer 15 - 20 min, until cooked through. If all water has evaporated, but the grain still isn't cooked through, just add a bit more water and continue to cook until done. Cool completely.

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Place beets, carrot, rutabaga on an  oven baking pan that has been lightly coated with Pam or olive oil.  You can also lightly spray veggies before putting them in the oven. roast veggies until soft but not mushy, about 20 minutes. Allow them to cool.  Peel them when cooled.

For the garlic, peel away the outer layers of the garlic bulb leaving the skins of individual cloves intact. Using a knife, cut off 1/4th to 1/2 inch of the top of the cloves.  Drizzle the top of the garlic with olive oil and wrap in tinfoil and place in the oven with other veggies.  Cook for about 30 minutes or until garlic is soft and fragrant.  I use 6-8 cloves in the beet loaf.  They are easy to remove from peel after they are cooked.

 Put cooled veggies in a blender or food processor and mix until they are consistency of meatloaf.  Do not liquefy vegetables.  You can throw in the parsley and basil if you don't want to chop them by hand.  

In a bowl, combine the quinoa, onion, bread crumbs, blended vegetables, and minced herbs. In a separate bowl beat eggs and combine them with the garlic salt, tomato paste (or adobo sauce), ketchup, whole grain mustard, olive oil, salt and pepper. Fold the egg mixture into to the quinoa mixture. It should be the consistency of meatloaf.  You don't want it too wet so you may need to add a bit more bread crumbs or quinoa.  Depending on the size of your veggies, you may end up with a larger or smaller amount of beetloaf.  I use a greased loaf pan and roast it at 400° for around 45 min (up to 1 hr).