Rosemary Vinegar and Sea Salted Beet Chips

Beetroot Chips are by far the sweetest chip of all vegetable chips.
They are yumm!! 😍

Beetroots have a sweet taste, having one of the highest sugar contents of any vegetable. These chips are not only delicious, but very healthy - great news.
Beetroot is an excellent source of a wide range of nutrients among which are carbohydrates, fibre, minerals (potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorus and sodium) and vitamins (pro-vitamin A, niacin and vitamin C).
Raw beetroot is 88% water, 10% carbohydrates, 2% protein, and less than 1% fat. In a 100-gram (3+1⁄2-ounce) amount providing 180 kilojoules (43 kilocalories) of food energy, raw beetroot is a rich source (27% of the Daily Value - DV) of folate and a moderate source (16% DV) of manganese, with other nutrients having insignificant content.

Have fun with their colours

Commonly beetroots are thought of as dark red, but they actually come in a variety of colours: Golden, Red, and White beetroots, and Chioggia Beets or candy stripe which have alternating rings of white and red.

Golden beets are slightly less sweet than red beets, but also have a more mellow and less earthy flavour.

Striped Beets – these varieties are called Chioggia or Bassano Beets. Some are a subtle yellow-and-orange combination while others come with a brilliant red-and-cream candy cane effect. The stunning striping often fades or even disappears when the beets are cooked.
The Chioggia has an especially sweet and mild earthy flavour—and it doesn't 'bleed' as much as regular beets, meaning you don't have to worry about bright red beet juice staining everything. It was named after a fishing village in Northern Italy where it had been first cultivated in the early 1800’s.

White beets do not have such a strong earthy taste as red beets and also do not bleed their colour. The large White beet does not contain betalains, which are antioxidants that are responsible for the red and yellow colour in other beets.

Beta is the ancient Latin name for beets, possibly of Celtic origin, becoming bete in Old English. Root derives from the late Old English rōt, itself from Old Norse rót.
Beets were domesticated in the ancient Middle East, primarily for their greens, and were grown by the Ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. By the Roman era, it is thought that they were cultivated for their roots as well. From the Middle Ages, beetroot was used as a treatment for a variety of conditions, especially illnesses relating to digestion and the blood.


The beetroot is the taproot portion of a beet plant. It is one of several cultivated varieties of Beta vulgaris grown for their edible taproots and leaves (called beet greens); they have been classified as B. vulgaris subsp. vulgaris Conditiva Group. Other cultivars of the same species include the sugar beet, the leaf vegetable known as chard or spinach beet, and mangelwurzel, which is a fodder crop. Beet greens can be eaten raw, steamed, or sautéed, and are a good substitution for chard or spinach.

RECIPE

Preparation:

Look for beets with their fresh, leafy greens still attached, if possible — you'll know those are fresh. Store them loosely wrapped in the fridge, where they'll keep quite well. When buying beets with their leaves still attached, both the beets and their greens will last longer if you cut them apart before storing them. Like all root vegetables, it's fine for beets to have a bit of dirt still clinging to them. Shake off any excess, but don't wash them until you're ready to use them. 

    Prep: 30 mins
    Dehydrate: 8-12 hrs


Ingredients:

    3-4 large beets, assorted colours if available
    ¼ cup water
    ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
    3 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped
    1 tablespoon olive or sesame oil
    1 tablespoon sea salt

Directions:

    Peel and slice beets as thinly as possible with a sharp knife or mandoline slicer. When the beets are sliced this thinly, there is no need to peel them first. Slice them as consistently thin as possible, as this will ensure even dehydrating and crispiness.

    Place thinly sliced beets in a large bowl and combine with water, apple cider vinegar, rosemary, olive or sesame oil and salt. The oil coats the beets in preparation for dehydrating, while the salt seasons and sweats the moisture out of the beets. After 15-20 minutes, the beets have released their excess moisture and are ready for dehydrating.

For a bit of variety, try using a Crinkle Cut Knife. This versatile cutting tool has a zigzag stainless steel blade for making wavy vegetables and other decorative cuts.

    Arrange beets in a single layer on the food dehydrator trays, leaving enough space for adequate air flow. Sprinkle extra sea salt and/or black pepper over beets, for extra spice if desired. Use your imagination for any added flavourings - tamari, hoisin, sesame are just some suggestions.

    Dry the beetroot slices in your Excalibur dehydrator at 52ºC (125ºF) for about 8-12 hours. The time can vary quite a lot, depending on exactly how thick your slices are and how many there are per tray, and the size of your dehydrator – so check at eight hours and increase the time, as required.

The chips are ready when they are brittle and snap (rather than bend) when you break them.

Allow the chips to cool completely before packing into airtight containers. This is important - don't pack warm chips. Dehydrated vegetables should stay fresh for several months, if you don't eat them all well before that 😁😁😁