I woke up early this morning to discover the garden covered by a blanket of snow. Every little branch had a layer, every item had been perfectly dusted. It was a scene straight out of a Japanese garden in the winter. Breathtaking!
For some reason, all I could think about this evening was making a hot bowl of vegan borscht, the traditional hearty beet soup. You may or may not know, but borscht is a sour soup. This type of soup can be found all over the world! China has its famous hot and sour soup, Vietnam has a sweet and sour soup, Eastern Europe (Ukraine) brings us borscht, the traditional sour beet, and cabbage soup. Luckily I happened to have some beets and cabbage in the refrigerator. I am not sure if I would have braved snowy roads for it though! The simple addition of white vinegar adds a light sour taste to this soup giving it its unique flavor.
Beet power
Beets are so good for you. They are naturally low calories, high in water, and fiber. They are full of protein, vitamin C, and folate. Eating beets is like feeding our red blood cells. This is especially beneficial for women. If you are kind of new to the world of beets, let me count the ways you can incorporate these beauties! They can be shredded and added to salads like coleslaw, pickled in a little vinegar and sugar, roasted, made into chips, steamed, or added to hummus… Seriously, there are so many ways to enjoy them. If you happen to buy beets with their leaves, don’t discard them! The greens are like spinach. You can stirfry them or add them to soups. If you steam or boil beets, keep the water and drink it! It is full of nutrients.
- 3-4 medium red beets, peeled and shredded
- ½ yellow cabbage shredded
- 3 medium potatoes peeled and cubed
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 clove of garlic minced
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- ½ can of tomato sauce
- 1-2 tbsp white vinegar
- 4-5 cups of vegetable broth (or more if you like it more liquid)
- Vegan sour cream for topping
- Shred the beets and the cabbage.
- Cube the potatoes.
- Stir fry the onion and garlic in a little oil.
- Add the shredded vegetables to the onion and mix everything.
- Add the broth and the vinegar and simmer over medium heat for 15-20m.
- Serve the soup in nice bowls and top with some vegan sour cream.
- You can also sprinkle with some fresh chives, green onions, or parsley.
