FOOD FOR THOUGHT: The blog that offers ideas for inspirational leadership & recipes for the food to fuel it.
Welcome to my new blog.
I have been contemplating a blog for some time. It is such a good way to connect with your community. I thought long & hard about which subject area I felt passionate enough about to be able to write regular blog posts on it. Effective leadership was one subject that I kept coming back to.
Another ‘subject’ that is never far from my mind (& one that I wanted to blog about too) is food. My friends know that tasting, creating & cooking new, tasty & interesting foods is a favourite pastime of mine, one which my long ‘suffering’ boyfriend happily encourages. However, I don’t have the time to write two blogs. Chatting to fellow consultants about my dilemma, we came to the conclusion – “why choose”. I thank my colleagues for their encouragement.
Food & Leadership, two things we all have experience of whether our preference is to cook or wash up, lead or support.
In writing this blog, I do not seek to place myself in the role of ‘expert’. As stressed here in Why Butterfly? I apply a facilitative approach to consultancy & training. I offer my knowledge & experience as an additional resource that can assist organisations & individuals to find the most fitting solution – to meet their challenge, to benefit their clients, to move their organisation forward. I don’t claim to be a Chef either, but I do love cooking & I do love to share my passion for food.
What I hope to provide is a blog that highlights leadership concepts & approaches, inspires personal reflection & invites discussion because I am always happy to learn. The best leaders (in my experience) never cease their personal & professional development. Although my background is in the social care & non-profit sectors, I am currently writing a dissertation for an MBA specialising in Management Consultancy. Leadership skills are highly transferable, so I also want this blog to be inclusive. I will strive to offer posts that are useful, interesting & enjoyable to read along with suggestions for food that is great to eat!
This blog marries my two seemingly unrelated personal preoccupations so it seemed only fitting that the first recipe I have provided you with is one that pairs flavours that once might have seemed a strange partnership. Now such pairings are found regularly in cookbooks, food sites & restaurants alike.
I considered many options including a favourite salad that brings together soft goats cheese, strawberries, black pepper & balsamic vinegar, delicious bacon maple cupcakes & spicy curried mango (all of which are delicious). In the end I decided to share these almond beetroot brownies. Yum! So next time you find yourself torn between two great ideas, consider whether there is a third option. Sometimes you can find a way to combine the two & create a great, new solution! While you consider that, I hope you enjoy this recipe!
250g 70% Cocoa Chocolate – chopped
200g Butter
250g Tinned Cooked Beetroot (tinned in unsalted water)
3 Eggs
¼ Teaspoon Chefs Vanilla Paste
200g Soft Brown Sugar
50g Cocoa Powder
50g Plain Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
100g Ground Almonds
- Pre-heat the oven to Gas Mark 4 / 180°C. Grease & line a brownie tin (approx. 28x18cm) with baking paper.
- Place the chocolate & butter in a microwave proof bowl. Heat for 30 seconds & then stir. Heat in short bursts of no more than 10 seconds until both can be stirred together into a glossy liquid. Be very careful not to burn the chocolate.
- Mash or puree the beetroot into a paste. Add the eggs one by one. Then add the vanilla & sugar & mix until smooth. Add the chocolate mixture to this.
- Put the almonds into a separate bowl, sift the rest of the dried ingredients in to the almonds & mix well. Fold the dry mix into the chocolate/beetroot mix.
- Turn mixture into the prepared tin, using a spatula or the back of a large spoon to smooth evenly to the edges.
- Bake in the centre of the oven for 35 to 40 minutes. The perfect brownie will be firm to touch but still chewy in the centre so a skewer will come out slightly sticky.
Tips & Tweeks
- If you want to use fresh beetroot, you will find different ways to cook it here
- You can also melt the chocolate & butter in a glass bowl over (but not touching) boiling water.
- If you are wheat intolerant, you can replace the plain flour with rice flour.
- If you fancy a tipple, add a tablespoon of your favourite liqueur to the chocolate & butter after melting.
- I once accidentally bought lightly pickled beetroot. I washed it through with plenty of cold water & went ahead anyway & they turned out just fine!
