Former Royal chef Darren McGrady has shared his signature five-step recipe featuring beetroot - and the vegetable is a 'massive favourite' of Prince Louis.
Families try to get their children to eat a healthy and balanced home-cooked meal but it can be a struggle - especially amid the rising cost of living and the ever-so tempting kids' eat free deals that are available throughout the summer holidays.
But if you've bought beetroot for your kids, you can use the leftover to make this for yourselves - and the vegetable is an unusual favourite of Prince Louis.
During a TV Christmas Special with Mary Berry in 2019, the Duchess of Cambridge revealed "We've got carrots, beans, beetroot – a massive favourite – Louis absolutely loves beetroot."
And former royal chef to Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Diana, Prince William and Harry, Darren McGrady has shared his delicious beetroot recipe with fans on his website The Royal Chef.
He says it's “delicious, healthy salad worthy of any kitchen table.”
But if you're looking to make this dish something all the family can enjoy, then Goodto.com's Food Editor Jess Dady advises, "To make this salad a tad more child-friendly you might want to hold back on the balsamic vinegar - and maybe even the red onion depending on how strong of a flavour your child can handle.
"My 4-year old loves bold flavours so would happily enjoy the punch of acidity from the vinegar and the tang of red onion, however my 6-year old prefers to keep food simple and would happily have the beetroot, peashoots and yogurt on its own,"
Jess added, "A deconstructed version could also be a good idea to allow kids to explore the different textures, and flavours of each ingredient individually."
And if your child has allergies of if they've not tried the ingredients, it's worth keeping a close eye on them if they've not tried something before.
Ingredients (serves one)
- 1x carton of 0% fat Greek yoghurt
- 1x bunch of red and gold beets
- Red onion, cilantro and pea shoots
- Pomegranate seeds for garnish
- Aged balsamic vinegar
Method
- Use a sous-vide machine set to 184F (84C) and cook the bets for 4 hours. If you don't have a machine, remove the leaves, wash the beets well and wrap them in aluminium foil then bake them at 350F (176C) for around an hour.
- Pop the Greek yoghurt into a salad bowl
- Once the beets are cooked, quarter them and place them on top.
- Finely slice the red onion and add this to the bowl alongside the cilantro and pea shoots.
- Garnish with pomegranate seeds then drizzle over some balsamic vinegar and enjoy.
Speaking about the health benefits of the dish, Darren explained, "Beets are a rich source of potent antioxidants and nutrients, including magnesium, sodium, potassium and vitamin C so an incredible “superfood” for the kitchen table."
Kate once revealed that she likes to get her children Prince George, 10, Charlotte, eight, and Louis, five, involved in cooking at home whenever she can. Admitting that it gives them an opportunity to be "creative" and "independent".
So if you're looking for fun things to do with the kids then why not give it a go and they can enjoy the beetroot on its own while you tuck in to the full recipe.
Just be careful of the bright pinky-purple beetroot colouring as it can get everywhere but there's nothing that these stain removing tips can't fix.
For more Beetroot recipes or if you're pushed for time, quick beetroot recipes, there's plenty to choose from including Beetroot risotto and Beetroot chocolate cake. Or if you want to make now and eat later try the pickled beetroot recipe.
