Beetroot Fritters

My Husband often refers to me as "broken".  I suppose I am; Crohn's Disease, Coeliac Disease, Osteoporosis, B12 deficiency, chronic anaemia, and a  colostomy (now with stenosis), is probably enough to justify the term.  Two major abdominal surgeries, and a handful of day surgeries, have left their share of physical scars.  The emotional scars can be harder to deal with.  Most days, I'm fine, but sometimes I wonder "why me?"  I have been quite contemplative since I was told that I will require surgery for stenosis (this is a food blog, so I won't turn your stomach with too much detail.  Basically, my colostomy has started to heal over.  Let's leave it there, shall we?!).  Finally, I was well, I was healthy, then this happened.  When will I get the chance to really live my life to the full?  I felt beaten.  That was, until Shauna tweeted a link to this blog post by David Anderson.  

My brokenness makes me the person I am today.  On the night of my 30th birthday party I was fretting about the fact that I hadn't done half the things I wanted to do in my twenties, when my Mum reminded me that I had done something much more.  I had survived Crohn's Disease.  I am stronger and more determined because of everything I have encountered.  I enjoy time with my Husband, family, and good friends whenever I can, because I know that they are what's important.  I cook because it fills me with joy.  I write because I am inspired.

I am filling my cracks with gold.

And purple.  The theme for the Gluten-Free Ratio Rally this month is fritters and doughnuts.  Pop over to host, Meg, at Gluten-Free Boulangerie to see the round-up.   I have redicovered beetroot this year.  I am enchanted by it's sweet earthiness, and I love the purple that colours everything in the dish!

I must admit, I have never made a fritter before (and I don't know if bhajis and pakoras count?) so I opted to give them a go.  Much to the Husband's disappointment, why would a person pass up the chance to eat doughnuts?!  The ratio for fritters is 2:2:1, 2 parts flour:2 parts liquid:1 part egg.

Beetroot and Apple Fritters (makes about 10 fritters)


60g millet flour
60g cornflour
120g natural yogurt
1 large egg
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 green apple, peeled and grated
1 beetroot, cooked, peeled and grated
1 tsp caraway seeds
2 cups light oil

• Beat the egg in large bowl and mix with the yogurt.  Sieve the flours and baking powder into the bowl and combine well.
• Stir in the beetroot, apple and caraway seeds.
• In a frying pan, heat the oil.  Add heaped dessert spoons of the mixture into the hot oil and fry for about 1 minute. Don't overcrowd the pan or the temperature of the oil will drop.
• Turn the fritters and cook for a further minute.
• Transfer the fritters to a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain any excess oil.

I should admit that I initially intended these to be savoury fritters but the flavours of the beetroot and apple convinced me that they were better suited as sweet fritters!  These are delicious served warm with cream and a drizzle of honey.

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