Jacqueline’s Happy Hippy Beet Soup

I love beets, or as we call them in England, beetroots. Yummy! It’s so exciting now that we can jazz up our presentation of beets on the plate, with beautiful golden baby beets. And a friend introduced me last year to Candy Cane beets … lovely stripey red and white beets. Very fun!

I have always loved pickled beets best, and I like to make my own, layered with lots of nice, fresh sweet onions. But a couple of years ago I was introduced to oven-roasted beets and the door opened to new and tantalizing ways to serve them.

Have you tried raw beets grated into a salad? Yummy! And I even tried raw beet with blackberry juice, which I loved. Hubby wasn’t anywhere near so keen on that one. But it did remind me, that back in the day when the kids were little I’d make a dark and deliciously red Beet Soup. Or as it’s known in fancy circles Borsch!

As beets are full of lovely nutrients, natural sugars and are high in iron, all of which are natural happy makers; I thought I’d encourage you to eat your beets and to Choose Happy by sharing my Happy Hippy Beet Soup recipe:

Happy Hippy Beet Soup

(Note: it’s important to use organic beets for maximum flavor)

• 1 large onion
• 1/2 cup peeled and diced small carrots
• 2 cups peeled and diced beets
• (or you can coarsely grate them)
• 1 cup shredded cabbage (red is really good)
• 1TBsp apple cider vinegar (my fave is Bragg’s)
• 2TBsp butter (or butter substitute for dairy-free diets. My fave? Earth Balance original)
• Water (enough to cover the veggies)
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• Yoghurt or Sour Cream or Dairy-free Substitute

Sweat the onions in melted butter or butter substitute. (This gives a really yummy flavor and is nicer than oil, but olive oil is good in a pinch.)

Once the onions are soft (but not browned) add the carrots and continue to cook over a low heat for another 2 minutes. Stir.

Add all the other ingredients, except the Vinegar.
Add enough water to just cover all the veggies in the pan.

Bring to a boil, turn down to a low simmer straight away and cover the pan.
Simmer for 30 minutes.

Remove from the heat. Add the cider vinegar and stir in. Taste. Add salt and pepper to your preferred yumminess.

Serve in bowls with a nice dollop of yoghurt or sour-cream on top. (Dairy free substitutes are good too!)

This serves up about 4 nice bowls of healthy soup. Team up with a salad on the side and some fresh crusty bread and you’ve got a lovely meal. For the gluten-intolerant (like me) go with a piece of g-f cornbread or some crackers.)

Let me know what you think…do you love it? Does it make you Happy???

PS Don’t, whatever you do, spill it on anything … beets have traditionally been used to dye fabric.

PPS I like to wear my fancy-lady rubber gloves when handling beets, especially those yumericious organic dark red ones, so that my hands don’t get stained.