First recipe of 2019! I hope you all had a happy New Year’s Eve and are feeling ready to conquer any goals you may have set for yourself. I’m not huge on resolutions, but I am committed to using less plastic this year! Have you guys set any for 2019?

New Years is probably the most popular time for people to pursue health and wellness goals. I applaud anyone who is seeking to better their health! I hope you are able to create lasting lifestyle changes during your journey.

One thing I’ve noticed on social media is people partaking in restrictive eating patterns for the month of January, in an effort to kick off better health. I’ve specifically seen people dedicating the month to consuming no sugar and Whole30. While it is very beneficial to limit added sugars, and while Whole30 does include healthy, nutrient dense foods, these patterns are hardly sustainable for the long term. When we restrict ourselves completely from having certain food groups, we may miss out on important nutrients, and we may also miss out on a little bit of life! Eating should always be a balance between nourishment and enjoyment. We should be giving our bodies what they need, but also what they crave. I believe it is this balance that allows us to maintain good physical and mental health, because it cultivates a healthy relationship with food.

So, if you guys were considering eliminating entire food groups for the month, I encourage you instead to focus on what you can ADD to your diet for better health! Maybe that means you try 3 new vegetables this month, or switch up the type of whole grain you usually make with dinner. This could also mean finding creative ways to add nutrient dense foods to dishes. Adding greens to smoothies, zucchini noodles to pasta dishes or BEETS to a homemade dip are all simple, fast ideas.

I made this white bean dip to snack on for the week, and it is the prettiest shade of pink, thanks to the addition of beets! This root veggie sometimes gets a bad rap for tasting earthy (I happen to love the taste), but it really is a nutrition powerhouse. Beets are high in nitrates, which, when converted into nitric acid in the body, can lower blood pressure. They are also high in antioxidants! If you’d like to include beets in your diet for the health benefits, but aren’t keen on the taste, try this dip! You really can’t taste the beet flavor, thanks to the delicious lemon juice, tahini, garlic and spices.

Ingredients:

  • 1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 medium cooked beet, roughly chopped
  • 3 tbsp tahini
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • ¼ tsp cumin
  • ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
  • Salt to taste
  • Crackers and veggie sticks for serving

Instructions:

  1. In a blender or food processor, combine ingredients and puree until smooth.
  2. Serve with crackers, pita or veggies for dipping.

Can be stored in the fridge for 4-5 days after making.

If you guys try this recipe, tag @daisybeet on Instagram so I can see your creations! 🙂