Beet & Acorn Squash Dip / Potato Hummus

Dipping into my roots...

I was born and raised on the prairies. Although I grew up in a prairie city, the prairie landscape was never very far away. I still marvel at the beauty of a golden field shining under an immense blue sky and idealize the notion of growing your own.

I have wonderful childhood memories of food - green onions snatched and eaten raw out of the backyard garden (I didn't think my mom would find out, but she had a nose for these things...); raspberries that my grandmother served every time I visited the farm (she knew they were my favourite – I still think they smell like roses); soup full of vegetables grown high in my other grandma’s mountain village garden. No wonder I came to appreciate the incomparable goodness of freshly picked food. Now, I look forward to the bounty of my mother-in-law’s harvest, which she shares year round.

Tonight I made two different dips using root vegetables. I made use of vegetables that I’d roasted or cooked ahead of time.

Note: Unless otherwise indicated, recipes on this blog serve two really hungry people. (or two regular people with some leftovers)


Beet and Acorn Squash Dip

5-6 beets
1 acorn squash
sea salt & black pepper
1 teaspoon butter or olive oil

Roast vegetables in the oven until soft. Peel beets and scoop out squash. Mash them up together and add salt, pepper and butter/olive oil to taste. Eat hot or cold.

Potato Hummus

This is a bit like the Greek potato dip Skordalia, a bit like cold garlic mashed potatoes. Rather than add almonds, I added organic tahini (sesame paste).

5 cooked white or Yukon gold potatoes (leave the skin on for extra fibre)
1 clove of garlic
1 tablespoon of tahini
1 teaspoon of olive oil
sea salt & black pepper
fresh oregano (optional for garnish)

Mash everything together with food processor or hand blender. Chill and serve with toasted rye bread.