Red Beet Root Soup

The sweet, slightly earthy flavor of beetroot shines out in this delicious recipe. This rich purple color soup is jam packed with nutrients. It’s a versatile soup that can be served hot or cold, vegetarian or with a meat or chicken base. I prefer this soup made with homemade beef stock with added beef but it's also delicious without any meat or animal protein added. Suit yourself.

Betacyanin is the pigment that gives beets their red color, this pigment is absorbed into the blood corpuscles and can increase the oxygen-carrying ability of the blood by up to 400 per cent. Don’t be alarmed if you notice any changes in the color of your urine or stool. The reddish hue is caused by this natural occurring pigment.

Don't throw away the green leafy tops as they can be cooked like spinach and are also rich in beta carotene, folic acid, chlorophyll, potassium, vitamin C, and iron. The bitter element of beet tops are excellent for liver and gall bladder health.

Beets are low in calories, one cup of red beet or 170 grams of red beet has 75 calories, 17 grams of carbohydrates, 8 grams of sugar, 2 grams of dietary fiber, and approximately 145 grams of water.

Red beets are a vegetable with remarkable nutritional value. They have a unique and pleasant taste and can be eaten raw, boiled or cooked in the oven. The sugar (sucrose) inherent in beets causes no harm provided the beets are consumed whole. This is the secret to sugar safety. Surround the sugar with nature.

Isolated beet sugar, commonly known as table sugar, is refined and fragmented and completely devoid of any of the original micronutrients inherent in the whole beet, such as potassium and magnesium or folic acid. Consumed in astronomical quantities today in coffee, soda, candy, baked goods and sweets, “pure” refined sugar is highly profitable, addictive and a major contributor to obesity, depression, diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

Red beet contains ample amounts of vitamins B, C, E, and K and plenty of potassium, folic acid and manganese. Red beets also contain calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, selenium, zinc, sodium, copper, iodine and tryptophan.

Red Beets contain high levels of anti-carcinogens and are a rich source of carotenoids (pro-vitamin A). They consist principally of carbohydrates with virtually no fat and a tiny sliver of protein. The glycemic index of a red beet root is rated as medium to high (65-75). Beets are loaded with antioxidants that protect cells from infection, disease and degeneration.

Red Beet Root Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 bulbs crushed garlic
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 12 cups filtered water or homemade chicken or beef stock
• 5 tablespoons Mrs. Dash original or Spike Original
• 3 medium sized beets, peeled and chopped
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 4 cups shredded green cabbage
• 1 cup chopped or grated carrots
• 2 teaspoons minced dill
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 2 tsp crushed pepper
• Juice of one large lemon
• Sour cream or plain yogurt to taste
• Fresh dill sprigs for garnish

Preparation

• Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat.
• Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds.
• Add onion and cook until translucent, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.
• Add water and minced dill and bring to a boil.
• Add beets, celery, cabbage and carrots and cook until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes.
• Season soup with salt and pepper. Add lemon juice.
• Taste and add more lemon juice, salt or pepper as desired.
• Ladle into bowls.Top with a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt and garnish with dill.

With Beef and Stock

• In a large pot add water, 1 lb of sirloin/rib eye roast with or without bone and 4 cloves of garlic.
• Cover pot. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 2 hours.
• Take meat out of the pot place on chopping board and cut into small uniform size cubes, discard fat.

Bon Appetite!...TKH