Beet Soup with Ginger

Beet Soup with Ginger for Valentines Day

Inspired by all things red on Valentines Day, I made Anna Thomas' recipe for Beet Soup with Ginger.  It was a vibrant rosy soup as delicious as it looked!  And it was incredibly easy to make since all of the ingredients just needed to be chopped and put into a large soup pot.  I warmed it up and had it for lunch again today.  The beautiful yellow roses were a gift from my sweetheart husband, Tom.


Ingredients:
12 oz.  (350 g) beets
4 oz. (120 g) parsnips
8 oz. (225 g) Nappa cabbage
1 fennel bulb (100 g)
1 1/2 cups sliced leeks  (150 g)
3 Tablespoons (35 g) minced fresh ginger
2 cups vegetable broth'
1 tsp sea salt
1 - 2 Tablespoons  (15 - 30 ml) fresh lemon juice

Preparation:
Peel and chop the beets and parsnips, and clean and chop the cabbage and fennel.

Beets

Sliced Nappa Cabbage

Parsnips

Sliced parsnips

Sliced leeks

Fennel bulb

Sliced fennel bulb

Combine all the vegetables in a soup pot with the ginger, 2 cups water, the vegetable broth, and the salt.  Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer the soup, covered, for at least half an hour, possibly 45 minutes until all the vegetables are completely tender.

Simmering ingredients

Allow the soup to cool slightly and puree it in the blender or with an immersion blender.   Thin it with a little more vegetable broth, if needed.  Add lemon juice to taste.  Garnish with a bit of Greek-style yogurt that is slightly sweetened and a sprig of the fennel leaf.    (Garnish is not included in nutritional analysis.)


Nutrition:
Servings per recipe: 8

Serving Size: Approx. 1 cup                            
Calories: 61
Total Fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 585 mg
(less if low-sodium broth is used)
Total Carbs: 4 g
Dietary Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 2 g