Last Monday unbeknown to one another, Makrand (my partner) and I had been into Mullumbimby and visited the local herbal dispensary, Mullum Herbals. Both of us for different ailments and both within minutes of each other. My inquiry was not an ailment as such  but a question on what herbs to take for anxiety and at the end of the conversation the lovely naturopath said that anxiety can be caused from lack of iron.  The alarm bells rang, last week I had been feeling quite anxious and also was feeling rather low in iron at the same time.

On the ride home all I could think about was a massive bowl of iron rich grated beetroot. As I was preparing the beetroot for lunch I was thinking some tempeh with turmeric would accompany the beetroot nicely, when Mak walked in telling me he had gone to Mullum herbals to get an anti inflammatory for his bursitis in  his shoulder. I asked him what was in the product he had purchased and the first ingredient was tumeric.  A hah we had our salad all set to assist in our particular body requirements. Beetroot for a big boost of iron and tumeric to help with inflammation and of course to boost the immune system amongst many other things.

And the beauty of this salad is that it is not only healthy but tantalizingly delicious.

Beetroot, Fennel and Mint Salad with Turmeric Tempeh on a bed of Rocket

You can change some ingredients around but definitely keep the fennel and lemon juice as they are both high in vitamin C which assists the body in absorbing the iron from the beetroot and the mint is a definite must for taste sensation. This is one of those salads that I can’t believe I didn’t discover earlier. Forty three years without this salad has been far too long.

If you want to eat the salad alongside a grain or with some nuts you will ensure you get a complete protein with all nine essential amino acids.  Otherwise you can add a generous sprinkling of hemp seeds which are a complete protein in themselves.

Enough for 2

1 beetroot grated

½ fennel bulb finely sliced

1 large sprig of mint finely chopped

½ ripe avocado

juice of half a lemon

salt and sprinkling of cayenne pepper

big handful of rocket washed

½ cucumber sliced

sunflower sprouts

generous sprinklings of hemp seeds (optional)

1 packet of tempeh (I use Byron Bay fava bean tempeh) cut however you like

generous nob of fresh turmeric grated

splash of gluten free tamari

splash of oil

In a bowl add the grated beetroot, fennel and mint, add the lemon juice and rub or mix in the avocado, season with salt and cayenne pepper.  In a frying pan splash in the oil and add the tempeh, fry for a minute or so and add the turmeric and tamari, fry for up to 5 minutes or until the tempeh is as crispy as you want it.

On two plates divide the rocket, put ½ of the beetroot salad in the middle of the rocket, arrange the tempeh and then garnish with cucumber and sunflower sprouts.  Sprinkle on the hemp seeds if using.

Categories:Salads

Tags:beetroot fennel tumeric Tempeh

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