Well, its officially FREEZING here in New York! On these cold days I crave a hearty soup. Here's a relatively easy recipe for Russian-style beet soup. I've never been a huge beet fan until the last couple years when I realized how delicious and filling they are. Perfect comfort food AND its good for you.
Vegetarian Russian Borscht
Ingredients:
1 pound beets (beetroot), peeled and cut into cubes
2 medium onions, sliced
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into rounds
3/4 pound white cabbage, finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 cups vegetable broth (homemade or store-store bought)
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Salt to taste
Coarsely ground black pepper
Sour cream (optional)
Finely chopped parsley or chives for garnish
Peel and cut the onions, carrots, and beets. Sauté vegetables over medium heat in olive oil with a pinch of salt in a large soup pot.
Bring the vegetable stock to a boil. When the vegetables are soft add the shredded cabbage and the hot vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and simmer 15-25 minutes, until the vegetables are are soft but not mushy.
Season with salt and pepper and squeeze of lemon. You can serve topped with sour cream and finely chopped parsley or chives.
Beets are high in the B vitamin folate which is especially important for pregnant women. They are also high in fiber and contain betacyanin which helps to fight cancer, especially colon cancer. Studies have found that beets may help to lower cholesterol and triglycerides. They also contain good levels of iron, magnesium, potassium and vitamin c.
