Tofu Beet Caprese
FLAXSEED AND OMEGA 3
I thought I was reinventing the wheel when adding flaxseed to my salads, assuming it was a habit carried over from contemporary vegetarian ways of eating. But alas, the ancient Greeks knew of the flaxseed and used it as both food and medicine – food was medicine in ancient Greece. There is evidence of its use from as early as 800 BC. It turns out that they knew a little something about the wonders of these tiny nutrition-packed seeds, which are one of the richest sources of omega-3 fatty acids in the plant world. Flaxseed helps control cholesterol levels and prevent inflammation; it’s a good-mood food for fighting the blues and helps improve metabolism and enhance the immune system. That’s a lot of good in a tiny seed!
Ingredients
- 12 oz firm tofu
- 3 cooked beets*
- 1 cup shredded or julienned fresh uncooked beet greens optional
- 2 tsp flaxseed and/or 1 teaspoon dried Greek thyme
- 4 - 5 Tbsp extra virgin Greek olive oil
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tsp petimezi grape molasses or Greek honey
- Sea salt to taste
Instructions
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Cook the beets either by boiling them in lightly salted water or by wrapping them in aluminum foil and roasting them for at least an hour, until they’re easy to pierce with a fork. Boiling them will take less time but you get better flavor if you roast them. Remove from water or oven, cool, and peel.
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Drain and pat dry the tofu. Cut the tofu either into 1-inch squares or into ⅛-inch thick slices.
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Peel and cut the beets into chunks or slices.
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Place alternating pieces of beet and tofu in a bowl or serving plate. Sprinkle with the julienned beet greens if using.
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Whisk together the balsamic, petimezi or honey, olive oil, and a pinch of sea salt. Pour the dressing over the beet-tofu caprese and sprinkle with flaxseeds.
