Borscht / Beet Soup

It's been cold here lately so I have been making tons of soup!!! :) I love hot soup on a cold or rainy day. Cooking them warms up my kitchen, warms up my body, and it's just plain good for my soul.

This recipe came from Toni Fiore's Delicious TV series. I have made this soup so many times now that I pretty much have it memorized (so it may not be the EXACT recipe, but that's where it started from - and I love how it comes out). Mr. NoNo is Russian and Polish - and this soup is a total treat for him. 

I love Toni's recipes because they are quick and easy...nearly everything is something that I can whip together on a weeknight and it takes the hassle out of trying to get a super healthy, nutrient packed dinner on the table. Another thing about Toni's recipes that I love is that they all taste delicious. I have never made anything out of her cookbook (or from her show) that I have thought, "Well, that was OK, but it won't be on my regular rotation", or something like that - the food is good. And, unlike some vegan / vegetarian recipes, she is generally not trying to imitate something else. It's just basically delicious and wholesome....and we can all use that in our lives!

...and I know I'm raving a bit, so - no - I didn't get paid for this, I don't actually KNOW Toni, I just love her cooking style...

I usually use just a bunch of beets - whatever I get out of my CSA basket; I generally use whatever kind of potatoes I have on hand (as long as they are some shade of brown); and I love dill, and will use fresh when I can, but generally beets and dill don't usually come in the CSA basket at the same time, so I usually use some dried - use less if you aren't a dill fan, or leave out completely - the soup is still good without.

Toni Fiore's Borscht

1/2 brown onion, diced

1 carrot, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

2 cloves of garlic, diced

3 or 4 red beets, peeled and diced

2 medium potatoes, washed and diced

1 apple, diced

3 cups of vegetable broth

dried dill (for garnish)

Saute onions, carrots, and celery in olive oil over medium heat until onion is translucent and carrots are soft, approx. 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, cook for 30 seconds longer. Add vegetable broth, beets, potatoes, and apple. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with pinches of dried dill (1/8 tsp).

Hope you enjoy this as much as we do - - it's amazing that you can get soooo much flavor in a soup without adding ANY spices (it smells great even before you add the dill!).

If you tried it, how did it come out? And if you modified it, let me know the details!!! :)

More later!! :)