Comforting Borscht Soup

I was reminded recently of this recipe in The Nourished Belly Diet, and being deep January in Berkeley (which, yes it’s cold here, particularly because houses in Northern California do NOT have great insulation) this is the perfect recipe. Borscht has an interesting history. I had always associated Borscht with Russia, but it was originally created in what is now Ukraine, was made with a parsnip rather than red beetroots, and in later forms also had a bit of a tangy taste due to some fermentation. It’s a good reminder to add a bit of sauerkraut to add some tanginess and some healthy probiotics. Borscht was also originally associated with peasant food, which as I dive deeper into traditional healthy foods, it’s always those with little means that instinctively knew how to make foods that held deep nutrition.

The first time I made this soup, I was working on a farm on the central coast of California and one of my roommates was a Russian girl named Liz. Although she had spent much of her childhood in the Bay Area, she still had a strong connection with her roots. I’m grateful to her for helping me adapt this simple recipe. Beets are extremely nutrient rich, and their beautiful magenta color is a sign of that, although you could use golden beets as well. Beets are full of minerals, are great for the liver, and they add a natural sweetness that most palates enjoy. It’s hard to mess up, and you can throw in just about anything you have in your fridge.

Ingredients

(feeds 8)  

1–2 pounds beef shank or short ribs

1 pat butter or beef tallow (optional)

1 medium yellow onion, sliced

2 medium potatoes, chopped

2 cups sliced cabbage

4 medium beets, chopped

4 carrots, chopped

½ 24-ounce jar stewed tomatoes

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

sea salt and black pepper, to taste

For the optional garnish:

(mixed together or separate)

½ cup minced parsley

½ cup green onions

½ cup yogurt or sour cream

½ cup sauerkraut

Directions:

1) If using a Crock-Pot, before going to bed, place the beef shank or short ribs in the Crock-Pot and cover with water. Turn on low.  If using the stovetop, place the beef shank or short ribs in a large stockpot and cover with water. Cover with a lid and simmer for about 1 hour.

2) Optional: Sauté vegetables for added flavor in a pat of butter or beef tallow.

Or, skip step 4 and add the onion, potatoes, cabbage, beets, and carrots straight to the stockpot or Crock-Pot.

3) Add the tomatoes.

4) If using a Crock-Pot, set it on low for at least 4–6 hours and you are free to leave the house!

5) If using a stockpot, simmer on low for roughly 50 minutes. When a fork goes through beets easily, it’s done!

6) Add salt and pepper.

7) Serve with parsley, green onions, yogurt or sour cream and sauerkraut, if using. Mix the garnishes together or use them separately, as desired.

Summertime Gazpacho

Summertime Gazpacho 

It's September, and I'm trying to squeeze in this gazpacho recipe before tomatoes are gone for the winter!

Gazpacho originated from the Andalusia region of Spain, and is a soup, usually with a tomato base, that is served cold.   It has now evolved to take on many different forms, and it’s my recent summertime obsession. It is extremely refreshing to have on hot summer days.  It's also a perfect example of veggies that are available only in the summer months:  cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, and basil.  All of these veggies love hot hot weather, and if you see them in winter, it means they come from somewhere south of the border. Which for me, means transportation costs and less flavor.  

Plus, remember, we are always trying to get variety into our diets, so when we eat seasonally, that's how we get it without thinking. 

Enjoy this super easy, simple and delicious recipe while you still can!  

Serves 2

2 cups tomatoes (any kind!) 

1 large cucumber

1 large red pepper

1 cup loosely packed basil

2 cloves raw garlic

1 T balsamic or wine vinegar

2 T extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1)   Throw all ingredients into a blender, or place in a deep bowl and use an immersion blender.  Blend.

2)   Salt and pepper to taste!

3)   Serve with toast or crackers, or hard boiled eggs!

Broccoli Cream Soup

Vegetables are delicious.  Vegetable Cream Soup is even more delicious.  In this recipe, I've added some cashews for some healthy fat that helps with nutrient absorption and adds a bit of creaminess... it will be hard to believe that it's healthy.  You could definitely use this recipe and simply switch out some of the vegetables, and if you don't have bone broth, you can use water.  However, you know how much I love broth, both for added nutrients and for added taste.

A vegetable cream soup such as this is one of the simplest ways to get a ton of vegetables into our diet.   This soup is a more easily digestible form of vegetables, and you can mix and match as much as you want.  This is one of my favorite combinations, broccoli and whatever else I have in the fridge.  The following recipe is the base.  Enjoy and have fun exploring!

Ingredients (Makes 4 servings)

Gluten and Dairy Free
 
2 quarts liquid (filtered water or broth) 
One head broccoli, roughly chopped
One medium onion, roughly chopped
3 medium carrot sticks, roughly chopped  
3 cloves garlic crushed
1 cup cashews (soaked) 
Plus: Any vegetables that you have leftover in the fridge that you need to get rid of. Root vegetables work great.  
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: 

1)    In a large sauté pan, sauté onions until translucent.  Throw in the rest of the vegetables and cook until soft.  
2)    Throw everything into a blender, add broth, cashews, a large pinch of salt and pepper and blend with center top piece off.  
3)    Taste and adjust salt and pepper.  
4)    Use a spatula to pour everything into a medium stock pot and heat until ready to serve! 
5)    Garnish with some olive oil or other nuts.  
6)    Freeze some if desired and save for a rainy day.