This easy and delicious dish celebrates the underrated red beet. It’s packed with nutrients and looks impressive with a deep purple color kick.

Preparation time: 35 minutes

What you need:

2 green onions (white and green parts), chopped

½ cup (40g) parmesan cheese, grated

2 tablespoons butter

1 ¼ cups (250g) Arborio (risotto) rice

1 cup (250ml) white wine

1 ½ cups (350ml) veggie stock

1 ½ cups (350ml) red beet juice (in the US you get it at Trader Joe’s, in health stores or online)

3 medium red beets (if you use fresh beet, you need to peel, cut and cook it in hot water, but you can also get it precooked in vacuum), cut in small pieces

Salt & pepper

Handful of rucola (aka arugula)

2 tablespoons slivered almonds or pine nuts, roasted

3-4 oz (100g) goat cheese

How to do it:

Heat 1 tablespoon butter over low-medium heat, add green onions and cook for about 5 minutes, stir in rice and cook for another 3 minutes.

Add half of the white wine and let it cook in; add the other half and let again cook in (keep lid open and reduce heat if it bubbles too much).

Mix veggie stock and red beet juice and heat in a separate pot (or in the microwave), add it in batches to the rice – it’s a process of about 20 minutes; keep on stirring so the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot. After about 25 minutes, the rice should be creamy, but al dente.

Add red beet pieces to the rice and carefully mix under, add another tablespoon of butter and salt and pepper to your liking. Add parmesan and stir carefully.

Spoon risotto on plates, top with rucola/arugula and almonds/pine nuts and add slices of goat cheese.

Serve immediately and enjoy!