HEALTHIER BEET BORSCHT

PAUSE & MAKE HEALTHIER CHANGES – Jan 5/16
Sunday’s sermon was titled, “THE PAUSE”. Christmas celebrations focusing on Jesus birth are over for another year. We take time to catch our breath before we start into another busy year of agendas, appointments and commitments.

This year our pause included our granddaughters wedding on January 2. Even though it added to the busyness of the Christmas season, it was a wonderful time of visiting, more eating and celebrating with them, as well as with family and friends.

So our pause started yesterday when I took down the tree & all the decorations, took the 3 leaves out of the dining room table and vacuumed up the tree needles, a few peanuts and whatever else happened to land under the couch. I took the left over candies and chocolates out of the cupboard and put them out of reach. I then sat down with a cup of tea and for a few hours just enjoyed reflecting on the real reason for the season of Christmas and how it has given us hope, peace and joy.

The pause was over quite quickly when I realized I was hungry & wanted something different to eat; something packed with nutrition. I had read George Mateljan’s post on the nutrients of beets so headed to the freezer for some frozen beets and frozen bone broth. I could hardly wait for a bowl of Beet Borscht.
It tasted so good that I just had to have a second bowl of this healthy delicious soup.

BEET BORSCHT – 5 quarts
2200 ml of bone broth (I used 3 (750 ml containers)
1 tablespoon extra virgin coconut oil
1 cup finely chopped onions
6 toes garlic, minced & left to stand 15 minutes to bring out all of the nutrients
2 cups chopped cooked ham or farmer’s sausage
4 cups shredded beets
2 cups shredded purple cabbage
3 cups green string beans
2 cups diced carrots
1/4 cup parsley flakes ( I used my own dried powdered parsley)
4 bay leaves
2 teaspoons basil
3 tablespoons vinegar
salt & pepper to taste
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
Sáute the onion and garlic in coconut oil. Put this into a 6 quart pot. Add bone broth and bring to a boil. Add the meat, remaining vegetables, bay leaves, parsley & basil. Cover & simmer on low heat for 45 minutes. Add vinegar, salt & pepper and quinoa. Heat through again. Just before serving, add the sour cream. I usually add a spoon of sour cream to each bowl of soup when serving. I freeze the remaining soup without the sour cream in and then add it later when I am serving it.

Bone Broth – There are so many benefits of bone broth for our health; especially when the bones have been cooked for many hours. (like 14 or more to remove the marrow and melt the cartilage that is on and in the bones) I have read that it is a great benefit to our joints and the other day I also read that it helps bring healing to our digestive tract. (stomach, intestines and colon) Who knows what else it is helping?

The added herbs, vegetables and quinoa as well add to the nutritional benefits of this soup.
For more recipes that include beets and other garden vegetables see my “WINNING WAYS” cookbook.

Have a Healthy & Blessed Year!
Winnie