Borscht (Beet and Cabbage Soup)

I really wish I could have taken a better picture of this soup.  This picture does it no justice.  It was such a beautiful, vibrant colour...not the reddish-brown it appears in the photo.  Clearly my camera was not meant to take photos of borscht!  

That being said, this vegan (without the sour cream) soup is wonderful.  So tasty and warming.  Beets are one of my favourite vegetables, and I just love them in this soup.  

Borscht

4 large beets
2 large carrots
2 medium onions
1/2 head of white cabbage
2 tbsp. olive oil
5 cups vegetable broth
juice from 1/2 a lemon
salt and pepper
sour cream for serving

Peel the beets and carrots and grate them.  Thinly slice the onion and cabbage and chop into small pieces.
Heat the oil in a large pot and saute the beets, carrots, and onion for a few minutes, until starting to soften.  Add the shredded cabbage and the broth and bring to a boil.  Simmer for 20 minutes.
Serve with a dallop of sour cream, if desired, and enjoy!

Everything Salad

This salad has so many delicious things in it.  Beets, cranberries, pears, nuts.... and it all tastes so wonderful together.  I made this salad because I was craving something super healthy and flavourful.  And with all these fruits and vegetables I felt healthy indeed.  If I had had some Parmesan cheese I would have grated a bit of that into this salad, so if you have some...grate away!  I tossed everything with a homemade vinaigrette which didn't overwhelm the multitude of flavours in this salad.  

Everything Salad

1 large bowl of mixed greens
1 ripe pear, thinly sliced
1 beet, peeled and grated
1 golden beet, peeled and grated (optional)
1 carrot, peeled and grated
1/4 cup pecans
1/4 cup sliced red onion
1/4 cup dried cranberries
2 tbsp hulled sunflower seeds

Dressing:
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil, or oil of your choice
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
salt and pepper

Combine all of the salad ingredients in a bowl. Mix the dressing ingredients and toss the desired amount with the salad,

Pickled Golden Beets

I absolutely love beets, especially pickled ones.  I have been canning beets for a few years, but I always use the regular purple ones.  This year I thought I would change it up and make some golden beets too, just for something a little different.  I only bought a small bag from St. Jacobs Farmers Market, just enough to make 3 jars.  I will keep two of them and give one away to someone special:)  I also bought a big bag of purple beets, which I still have to get around to pickling.  I think I will also try to make a borscht with some of them.
Making pickled beets is really easy.  The only time-consuming part is waiting for the beets to cook and waiting for the pot of water for processing the jars in to boil.  I was overwhelmed by canning when I first started to do it, mostly because every recipe I looked at had an insane amount of information in it.  But as long as you use the same ratio of ingredients in the recipe, use hot, sterilized jars and lids, and process the filled jars for the specified amount of time, it really is simple.  This recipe is enough to make 3 half-pint jars of beets.  For more canning information see the other recipes I have written on canning here. 



3 jars of golden pickled beets and 6 jars of purple pickled beets

Pickled Beets

5 cups of prepared beets*
3 cups vinegar
1 1/4 cups water
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 tbsp pickling spice

3 half-pint jars
3 rings for lids
3 lids (must be new!)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil to sterilize the jars and rings in.  Place lids in a small bowl and cover with hot water to soften rubber seal.
Meanwhile, bring vinegar, water, sugar, and pickling spice to a boil in a large pot.  Let boil for 15 minutes.  Add the prepared beets and return to a boil.
Remove sterilized jars from boiling water bath.  Fill each jar tightly with beets and top off with the liquid, leaving 1/4" space at the top.  Slide a butter knife around the inside of the jar to remove air bubbles. 
Wipe rims clean with a damp paper towel.  Place lids and rings on the jars, do not over-tighten.  Place the filled jars back into the boiling water bath and process for 30 minutes. (The jars must be upright and completely covered with the water.)
Remove and place on a clean tea towel, do not move for 24 hours.  Listen for the sound of the lids sealing...best sound in the world.  Store the beets in a cool place for at least 8 weeks before opening.

*Scrub the beets well and then place in a pot and cover with water.  Boil for 30-40 minutes, until cooked through.  Run under cold water.  Skins will easily come off by rubbing them.  Slice or cube the beets into desired size.