Place the beets in a small pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and continue to simmer until extremely soft, 30-45 minutes. Drain (reserve liquid for soup or smoothies, if desired).

In a high-speed blender, blend the drained beets and remaining ingredients, except the xanthan gum, until very smooth. Scrape down the sides, as needed. (If you don’t have a high-speed blender, pour all ingredients except beets and xanthan gum into a standard blender, and blend until smooth. Add beets, blend again until perfectly smooth, then proceed.)

Add the xanthan gum and blend again for a few seconds, until incorporated. (If the mixture appears curdled with small white specks,the natural oils in the coconut milk have separated. If this happens, return the entire mixture to the pot and heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth.)

Pour into a serving dish and chill until firm, at least 4 hours. Serve, topped with coconut whipped cream, if desired.