The Bright Purple Condiment Your Weeknight Dinners Have Been Missing

Allow me to introduce you to a game-changing dip that you never knew your life was woefully incomplete without: Beet Butter.

This beautiful deep purple condiment is a mixture of macadamia nuts, cooked beets, a touch of maple syrup, a splash of vanilla, and a hefty pinch of salt. It's sweet, nutty, and versatile to boot. I know it sounds strange to pair a sweet dip with savory food like chicken, pizza, crostini, or a turkey sandwich but it works. Trust.

I love making up a batch at the beginning the week to have on hand for lazy dinners or simple snacking.

Here's how I use it up in quick meals:

• It's perfect spread on a piece of French bread: Sprinkle it with goat cheese and toast the whole thing in the oven.

• Serve a scoop with a simple salad and a glass of wine and voilà! Simple weeknight dinner.

• Try it spread on pizza dough and top it with kale, goat cheese and sea salt. The sweet beet butter pairs really well with bitter kale, pungent goat cheese, and sea salt.

• Skip the cranberry sauce on your next turkey sandwich and spread a healthy portion of beet butter onto each slice of bread.

• I love adding a dollop of beet butter to a good old-fashioned veggie-and-grain bowl. It adds a sweet and earthy flavor that plays well with roasted vegetables.
• Another fun way to enjoy beet butter is in a quesadilla: I love using a mild cheese like mozzarella and adding caramelized onions and spinach to bulk things up a bit.

Ready to go?

Recipe reprinted with permission from Dishing Up The Dirt, copyright 2017, by Andrea Bemis. All rights reserved.

What's your favorite condiment to keep on-hand? Tell us in the comments below.