"Inspired By Borscht" Beet Soup

This is the version of beet soup I threw together from stuff in my fridge one night. It was pretty yummy. Hope you enjoy it, too!

I try to serve beets semi-regularly because they are chalk-full of stuff that is good for you, but their vibrant colour and different texture are off-putting for the kids. But! They will eat stuff in a soup they won't eat any other time. This was a hit.

(Tip: To get little kids to eat their soup better, blend it up to a smooth texture with a hand-held blender, and let them drink it through a straw. This works even better if the straws are "bendy" straws, or cool colours, or something.)

Inspired by Borscht Beet Soup Makes approx. 12 cups
©2006 Talena Winters

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. butter
2 large onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 tsp. dill
1 tsp. caraway seeds
8 cups chicken stock
5-6 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
½ head of cauliflower, diced
4 beets, peeled and diced
4 large carrots, peeled and diced
3-4 sticks celery, chopped
1 tbsp. Celtic sea salt
Cracked pepper, to taste
Crème Fraiche or Sour Cream

Fry onions and garlic in butter and olive oil until onions are soft. Add dill and caraway and fry for a further 2 minutes until aromatic. Add stock, vegetables and salt and simmer on medium-low until vegetables are tender. Turn off heat and blend in pot using hand-held blender, or put though blender in batches and return to pot. Adjust seasonings, and serve with a dollop of Crème Fraiche.

(Note: Serving vegetable soups with Crème Fraiche, or another animal fat, allows you to digest the nutrients found in the vegetables and absorb them better.)