Chocolate Beet Biscotti (Gluten-Free)
With a beautiful ruby hue, these Chocolate Beet Biscotti are a delicious, healthy, gluten free treat that pairs beautifully with a cup of coffee or tea.
I seem to have become quite the expert in NOT doing those things that I know SHOULD BE done!
For example, I know I should be drinking a glass or two of lemon flavored water when I wake up. I know how good it is for me. A few times, I’ve even reaped the benefits of disciplining myself to do so.
But, this morning, I decided I’d drink four glasses of water – flavored strongly with coffee – instead!
And, unfortunately, this is the thought process I adopt when I’m in my kitchen, too! You see, I’m the messiest cook I know. I know I could retire that title if I simply cleaned as I went along.
But, knowing something and doing it seem to elude me when I’m in my kitchen. I’ve watched in awe and wonder when friends clean up as they move from chopping to sautéing. I’ve listened to tips, and have had every intention of putting them into action.
But, next thing I know, I’m three dishes in, and my kitchen looks like the city dump! Just yesterday my daughter came home (after I had made a batch of Chocolate Beet Biscotti) and pointed to grated beets on the top part of one of our kitchen shelves. I’m a measly 5’2″ and can barely reach that top shelf even on a step stool… so…
I guess I need to set a new goal for 2017!
In 2017, I need to figure out how to NOT compete with the city dump – and, keep my kitchen somewhat clean in the process.
Some doable tips (even for me) that I know will help me along this adventure are:
• Empty my dishwasher before beginning any cooking – I’m notorious for not doing this, but, rinsing and placing dirty dishes in the dishwasher as soon as they are used not only cuts down on cleaning time, but will help with sink-pile-ups too!
• Carry a kitchen towel – to wipe up any spills or food projections on countertops or shelves as and when they happen. My dogs cannot help me with spills and projections on countertops and shelves like they do with messes on the flour, so toting around a towel will keep me from forgetting about that spill till its caked-up gunk later!
• Use a garbage bowl – Rachel Ray made this one popular in most kitchens awhile back- except mine, and I think it’s time I jumped on the garbage bowl bandwagon. Besides, it keeps me from pushing discarded veggie parts off my cutting board and onto my counter – like I did with the peeled off beet skins when I was making this Chocolate Beet Biscotti.
• Use more frozen veggies than fresh ones when I can – there are a lot of mixed opinions about this, but I love using frozen veggies in soups and curries. When I open up a bag of frozen spinach, I add in what I need into a curry/soup and seal the bag and put it away. However, if I open a bag of fresh spinach, I tend to sort through the leaves – often discarding those nasty ones onto my countertop!
• Use a spoon “jar” filled with warm water instead of a spoon rest – this helps me rinse off any spoons/utensils I plan on reusing. If a jar isn’t ideal, then just fill up one side of your sink with warm, soapy water.
• Invest in a few good “problem-solving” products – now that I seem to have come to terms with the fact that I have a problem with cleaning, investing in flexible cutting mats, a measuring cup that has multiple measurements (instead of a plethora of measuring cups with a measurement each), splatter guards/screens and multi-use, Scotch-Brite® Scrubbing Dish Cloths, are a must!
From all the things on that list, the only thing I have, and am a big fan of, is the Scotch-Brite® Scrubbing Dish Cloth! I first used the Scotch-Brite® Scrubbing Dish Cloth when I made a Beet and Bacon Skillet Bake over the summer, and recently purchased another one from Kroger when I was there picking up some beets for these biscotti.
The Scotch-Brite® Scrubbing Dish Cloth is a premium weave, textured fiber cloth that features the scrubbing dots technology on one side. I like to keep two on hand – one to help me tackle tough, caked on messes in the sink and other surfaces; and the other to help with wiping and drying. And, when am all done, I just toss my sturdy, Scotch-Brite® Scrubbing Dish Cloths in my washer and they are ready for next time!
The Dish Cloth. Reinvented.
The New Scotch-Brite® Scrubbing Dish Cloth combines the best of a high quality dish cloth with the power of Scotch-Brite® scrubbing dots for a quicker and easier clean.
If you happen to be a messy cook like me, check out ideas and tips to help clean your biggest mess, HERE!
Make sure you connect and follow Scotch-Brite® on Facebook • Instagram • Twitter • Pinterest for even more cleaning tips, new cleaning products, how-to’s, and ideas!
Now, back to these Chocolate Beet Biscotti…
I only made a small batch of these. But, in typical Shashi fashion, they are a treat with veggies hidden in them. If you are a fan of beets and are excited about this recipe, am sorry y’all, you really cannot taste the beets in this. These are slightly sweet, majorly chocolatey and delightfully crunchy – yet, totally gluten free.
I used coconut oil in these instead of butter and grated beets instead of the roasted and pureed beets I used to use a lot. Lately, I have found that grated beets work just fine and are so much easier to use in baked treats – just peel, grate and throw in!
No baking, cooling, pureeing, AND cleaning up the blender/food processor as well! Just a healthy dose of beets in your biscotti with a smaller mess!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup brown rice flour and a few more tablespoons for dusting surfaces with
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 cup coconut oil melted
- 2 eggs at room temperature would be ideal so coconut oil doesn’t harden on contact
- 1/4 cup grated beetroot peeled and grated
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- About 1/2 cup good quality chocolate cut up to melt and drizzle on top of biscotti
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- In a bowl, add the brown rice flour, cocoa powder, salt, brown sugar and baking soda and stir (I used a spatula)
- Add in grated beetroot, eggs, coconut oil and vanilla and stir till well incorporated.
- Add in the chocolate chips and stir
- Then, place Chocolate Beet Biscotti dough onto a floured surface, and using your hands, shape and flatten it out to make an oblong-like shape that’s about 1/2 inch thick
- Bake at 350 for 35 minutes
- Take out, let stand for about 4-5 minutes, then slice up biscotti and let cool completely
- When cooled, then reheat oven to 325 degrees and bake Biscotti for about 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cool
- When cooled, melt chocolate (I melted mine in the microwave in 30 second intervals) and drizzle on top
- Enjoy as is or dipped into a hot cuppa coffee!
Nutrition
I cannot start cooking in a messy or dirty kitchen. I have to empty the dishwasher and do any dishes in the sink, clean the counters etc.. It’s a ritual and I cannot cook unless I do it. Your biscotti are gorgeous, love that you added beet and that they are GF. Happy Holidays Shashi!!
It’s never the Holidays for me without biscotti–and these will be definitely made at our home this year!! They’re just a brilliant combo of flavor and healthy goodies, plus they look divine!!
The mess is just part of the experience! I clean as I go but still (love) ending up with flour on my clothes and dough stuck in my hair 😉
Cooking with beets is definitely a messy endeavor! Great recipe and advice about the cleaning up!
These biscotti look so delicious!! I love the twist on beets. I cannot work in a messy kitchen too! Just makes the whole process so stressful for me, Love your dish cloth.
I love recipes that deceptively have beets in them! It’s so cute to see people’s reactions when I tell them that the thing they ‘loved’ has beets in them – I’ve converted many a beet naysayer that way! Adding these biscotti to the list!
I love this Italian classic with the beet twist! They look super, Shashi.
I’m not a very tidy cook either, so I could definitely use that scrubbing dishcloth as well! Love your Chocolate Beet Biscotti – what a lovely colour they are and they sound absolutely delicious!
This could be my story as I too am the same kind of cook! My hubby always says the end result is amazing and that’s what counts! 🙂 Love the idea of beets and chocolate together, a must try! {client}
Haha I always tell my Mom I wish I could clone her because she loves to clean up so when she visits she’s a huge help in the kitchen especially with all the recipes I’m always making for the blog!
Your delicious crispy chocolate beet biscotti would not even be half as good dipping them into your hot lemon water.. LOL Coffee rules for dipping. Now that I am in a very small kitchen I must clean as I go along as it is just maddening when there is no counter space left. Just pinned!
Great tips! I especially liked the spoon jar idea! These biscotti look so good! Love the hidden beets in them. I’m all for getting extra veggies in like this!
Shashi, I am a big fan of these already! I know my daughter will love them a lot too…she LOVES beets. Pinning these for later. Great tips also! xoxo, Catherine
Biscotti! Yes!! I love that you beetified this recipe…how clever are you? 🙂 Also, I’m picturing grated beets flying all over your kitchen while you made this. Something akin to the Tasmanian Devil in the kitchen grating beets. Did I accurately describe the scene? 🙂 And that water cup for utensils you plan to reuse? That’s a genius tip! I’m always laying utensils somewhere and then getting that surface dirty, too. I totally need to start keeping that cup on hand. Great post, my beet-loving friend!