Spring’s finally here, with the evenings drawing out a little and daffodils and blossom in full bloom. Having that bit more daylight can have a radical impact on our mood and energy, as well as our appetite for some fresh and colourful food.

This gorgeous beetroot recipe makes the perfect spring brunch. And it’s as nourishing as it is aesthetically pleasing: beetroot is packed with nutrients and its benefits range from helping to lower blood pressure and improve athletic performance to having powerful anti-oxidant properties that may help to ward off disease.

Not to mention the fact that the tabbouleh, along with providing some texture, is a great source of fibre, while a scattering of pumpkin and sunflower seeds gives our gut health a boost, too. 

“This Scottish beetroot and pearl barley tabbouleh is the perfect healthy springtime brunch,” says Clare Coghill, chef and founder of Café Cùil. 

“This recipe serves two, but I recommend doubling or tripling it up to store in the fridge and use as a quick and easy meal prep for the rest of the week. The pearl barley provides slow-release energy, while the mix of herbs, vegetables, seeds and grains have loads of healthy benefits.”

For the beetroot

Ingredients

• 1 large beetroot
• 1 tsp miso paste
• 1 tbsp Scottish honey (or use maple syrup to make it vegan)

Method

1. Peel your beetroot, and boil in a pan until tender.
2. Remove from the water and allow to cool, before chopping into rough wedges.
3. Melt your honey (or maple) and miso paste together in a pot on the hob over a low heat.
4. Add your wedges of beetroot, and toss in the sauce until evenly coated and sticky.
5. Remove from the pot.

For the tabbouleh

Ingredients

• 150g pearl barley
• 1 leaf of spring greens, roughly chopped
• Bunch of parsley, finely chopped
• Bunch of mint, finely chopped
• Cherry tomatoes, roughly chopped
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Handful of toasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Rinse your pearl barley thoroughly, before adding to a large saucepan with 500ml of cold, salted water.
2. Bring the water to a boil, and boil for 10 minutes. Reduce to a simmer and cook for a further 45 minutes. Once cooked to al dente, drain the water and add the pearl barley back to the pot, but keep it off the heat.
3. Add in your roughly chopped spring greens and tomatoes, your finely chopped parsley and mint (leaving some aside to garnish with at the end), the juice of a lemon, and a healthy glug of olive oil. Toss until incorporated and season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Leave to cool to room temperature before serving.
5. Top your tabbouleh mix with your sweet and savoury wedges of beetroot and sprinkle with fresh parsley, mint and pumpkin or sunflower seeds.

Images: Café Cùil