Triple B winter comfort: beet & bean borscht

by Cindy Fleming

Here is a yummy vegetarian winter comfort soup that will “stick to your ribs”. The recipe incorporates canned white kidney beans (cook your own if desired or time permits for optimal budget and nutrition options)  and beets —  a healthy, good-for-your-liver food!  Divide amounts in half for a small family.

And don’t leave out the cabbage! It adds an incredibly good flavour (& important nutrients) to homemade soups!

Nutritional info:

Beans — they taste great, are high in fibre, high in protein and low in fat.

Beets — help keep your liver from slowing down over the winter months — and remember, colourful vegetables contain lots of nutrients!

Cabbage — a cruciferous veggie, helps cleanse & detoxify, source of Vit K & C

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Comfort foods are always great but especially so during the snowy winter months; this soup will warm you and yours when it’s cold outside — and this recipe helps keep the sluggishness and desire to hibernate at bay!

Recipe: Makes 12 servings

1 large white onion, chopped

3 tbsp vegetable oil  (Coconut oil is also great here)

3 cups beets, chopped (roasted, peeled then chopped is extra delicious)

2 carrots, diced (or 1 carrot, 1 parsnip)

2–3 celery stalks, diced—more flavour if you use the tops

1 /3—1/2 bunch parsley or dill, chopped (use according to taste)

3 cups  cabbage, chopped (savoy, green,  chinese — but not red cabbage) — remember, do not leave this ingredient out!

1 can (19 oz) white kidney beans

1/2 cup tomato juice or V8 — low sodium preferably

1-2 garlic clove(s), minced — can add more if you’re a garlic lover!

2 Tbsp lemon juice — leave out or reduce, according to taste

10 cups good quality vegetable stock; preferably home made

Directions:

Sauté onion in 1 tbsp oil until golden and soft. Set aside.

In a large soup pot, saute carrots, celery, cabbage and garlic for about 3 minutes in remaining oil.  Add stock and beets and cook about 1 hour  or until beets are slightly tender (if using roasted beets — already cooked — do not cook the extra hour!).

Add onions, beans, tomato juice, pepper, lemon juice and parsley/ dill.  Bring to a very light boil and you’re ready to serve it up.  Yogurt can be served on the side and stirred in.

Adapted from Pulse Canada (pulsecanada.com)