Healthy-Healing Colorful Vegetable Soup

Beets are amazing! I bought some about a month ago and forgot about the 4 small ones that just sat there, waiting, in the bottom corner of my vegetable drawer. I scrubbed and cut away a little bit of outer dried area at the top, but they were just great, without being peeled!

Slice or chop everything shown. Melt some of Costco's amazing Kirkland brand Organic Ghee in a big pot, then start with the scrubbed, unpeeled vegetables that require the most cooking, the Brussels sprouts and carrots.

Then the can of tomatoes, cauliflower, beets and green cabbage - (tucked in there at the top center) - about 1/3 of a medium head. I omitted the onion, (shown in the photo) to make it a healthy meal option for my dog also.

After all this sauteed until crisp-tender, I added the chopped fresh spinach, seasoning, some filtered water and a big serving spoonful of chicken Better Than Bouillon, but if you want this to be vegetarian, use the vegetable version. Obviously, the beets have done their thing with their pink carotene. . .but. . .who doesn't love bright pink soup? . .😃. . .Lin

Beet and Vegetable Borscht-Type Soup

I was going to heat up the beef roast and vegetables, then that idea morphed into something else altogether. I'll use the remaining 8oz. of beef for a stroganoff tomorrow. I heated the vegetables, added chopped cabbage, chopped up beet greens, 2T dried cilantro, garlic salt, smoky Arizona chipotle seasoning and a little water. Simmered that for 10 minutes.

Scrub the beets, rough cubed them and simmer, until barely tender, in 3c or so of water in a 3 quart pot. 

Next, add the vegetables to the beet pot and blend with an immersion blender. 

Serve with seasoned sour cream, sunflower seeds and a good sprinkle of dill. 

Remember too that the carotene in beets is very strong. Eating food this dark, it can color everything that comes 'out' of you for a couple days. TMI?? Sorry, I'd rather be blunt about this sort of thing than have anyone think they're bleeding internally 😉 . . . Lin

Summer In A Bowl - Nancy's Garden Gazpacho

I. . .♥️ LOVE ♥️. . .SALADS. . .

To me, one of my wonderful 5 Ingredient Salads is always the best. I had all the ingredients for that, then I saw the beets, 2 lonely cherry tomatoes and a nice cucumber from my daughter, Nancy's garden. I thought, GAZPACHO!?! What else could I add to make Gazpacho!?! Carrots for sure, since those are always in my favorite restaurant Gazpachos. . .then I rummaged, and found all the rest in the 'fridge.

Everything you see above, garlic, onion, green pepper, radishes, celery and tops, etc. . .went into the blender with about 1/2c of that amazing Moroccan EVOO, 2T or so of the vinegar, juice and zest of that lemon wedge, salt, pepper, and about a cup of V-8, since I needed to tomato-this-up a bit. Blend well, or leave it a little chunky, your call.

I wanted to top it with sour cream before serving, but I was low on that. I combined equal parts-just under a cup each-of sour cream and plain Chobani Greek yogurt, a drizzle of water, salt, pepper and a generous amount of dry dill. Stirred and shaken, it was perfect finishing touch to make this Wonderful Saturday Night Cold Soup Dinner! Ahhh, Gazpacho!!←click here for some history on this amazing creation. . . Lin

. . .Nothing Beats a Beet. . .

As A Foodie, in my perfect vegetable world. . .Nothing Beats a Beet!  The entire plant is not only edible, but when done right it's really tasty and healthy.  The greens, when perfectly steamed are heavenly, a bit like spinach, but with more body and character.  The stems are also great when chopped and steamed for 5 minutes before adding those luscious greens.  The root, well, what can I say. . .it tastes like dirt, in THE best possible, healthiest, 'doing our bodies good' kinda way.  So beets. . .yeah, I love 'em!

I was going through some photos the other day, from several years ago when an old friend visited me.  We had lunch atop the Raddison Hotel in their rotating-see-the-city restaurant.  I remember the salad well, after seeing it in this picture.  Right down to how delicious it was, but the dressing was just a touch off. Speaking strictly for me, it goes like this:

Beet Salad + Raspberry Vinaigrette = Perfection!

So many times I've heard different Chefs say, "Red onion is the mildest of onions - they're perfect in a salad." Wrong! On two counts. First, it's not 'red,' it's a Purple Onion, (just like cute little red-haired children do not have 'red' hair, it's orange!) Second they are not the mildest of onions.  In fact, at the risk of just sounding ornery, in my onion, they're the strongest.  Not good raw in salads, but great for quartering, tossing in seasoned EVOO and slow roasting. Or in a slow-simmered dinner with rough cut vegetables and huge chunks of meat.

So today, when a salad was sounding good, I decided to recreate that one. 

Spinach, beets, mung beans I sprouted, julienne carrot strips, shallot slices, walnuts, feta cheese and a great Raspberry Vinaigrette.

With a big glass of this great drink - it was perfect. . .Lin

Chicken Beet Salad

Well, this idea sure took a great turn. . .A couple turns actually. . .

It began as a growl in my gut. Hunger will do that. I knew I had a little cooked chicken in the 'fridge. I just watched a Dani Spies YouTube video called 'Beets 101,' so. . .guess what I was craving 😊

It started with just 4 ingredients: 3oz. cut up roasted chicken, 1/2 can of drained julienne cut beets, about 1/3c of sour cream, and a big splash of syrupy, black cherry (or raspberry) balsamic vinegar.  I mixed the last 2, added the chicken and beets, but, nope. That wasn't quite right.

Salt and pepper, nope, it still needed something. It needed more sweetness and texture--1/2c of craisins. For some zip and crunch--3 big, sliced green onions and a stalk of celery, chopped. Next some crunchy protein and Omega 3's--a big handful of chopped walnuts. It need more beets, so in went the rest of the can. If you're a Feta cheese person, top it with some crumbles.

Now it's perfect.

It reminds me of a variation on the Waldorf salad.

Beets ! ! !

Try them in a new and different way. 

They're such a great, healthy vegetable, and every part is edible, beetroot, stem and greens. . .Lin

A GIANT Pot Of Purple Vegetable Soup

I decided to clean out the vegetable drawers in my refrigerator.  This is what's Soup Worthy!  On the left are the ingredients for this recipe.  On the right those for another day very soon.

The first thing I did was scrub, cube and simmer the beets. Changing the water several times during cooking, then drain and run them under very cold water several minutes while they were still a little crisp. Be careful not to overcook them. I've made vegetable soup before where I put the beats in at the beginning, and everything ended up looking like beet colored vegetables. This time it wasn't as purple. I sliced or cubed all the rest shown here. I started with the onion, green cabbage, purple cabbage, 3 carrots, celery and tops, sautéing those about a half hour on medium in 2T EVOO. When it sizzles, add a couple cups of water and stir occasionally.

Add 2+ quarts of water after the original vegetables sautéed, then I put 3T orange ginger spices, 3T vegetable soup base, a good amount of fresh ground pepper and 2t of sugar into the pot and then simmer everything on low about a half hour, then continued with the simmer another half hour after adding the beets, chopped kale, 6 big cloves of minced garlic, half a zucchini, purple potatoes and butternut squash. The last group of vegetables takes less time to cook. Turn the burner off, cover and remove from the heat and let the soup stand 10 minutes before serving. The beets are definitely dominant, but also The Star of the Soup! They taste awesome simmered minimally, this way.

Remember . . .  SOUP!  =  It's Not Just For Winter Anymore!  Forage in your pantry and 'fridge - Make some today! . . Lin

Beets!!

It's a week before Thanksgiving. . .

I've been battling a cold and other assorted maladies, and about a week ago I decided to come up with a plan so I don't have to grocery shop until next week, just before the holiday.  I've ALWAYS got a very full freezer, pantry and 'fridge.  Often 'full' to the point of things sitting too long, getting lost for months and months, under other frozen things, or behind tall jars in the pantry.

This is a good challenge for me.  I may run out of half and half for my coffee, but I always have a little jar of that nasty powdered stuff, or a can of coconut milk.  I'm low on onions, carrots and eggs, but I'm determined to do this.  It's fun to use up and combine things I normally wouldn't!  I'm thinking either Monday or Tuesday, before I do buy groceries, I'll reorganize all three of those areas so I can finally feel more in-the-know of what I actually have, and can do more efficient meal planning and shopping.  My little project for the next few days.

8 med. beets

So, lemme tell ya about these beets!  They kept hiding out under the carrots and celery.  I'd see them and think, oh yeah, I should do something with those. . . Today, I decided, was the day.  I think I bought these in August or September!  Cast-Iron-Indestructible Little Purple Orbs!  They were packaged 4 to a package, so I was pretty sure they'd either be all shriveled or have mold spots.  No, they didn't!  I scrubbed them then put them in an 8 quart pot and covered them with cold water.  Brought that to a simmer, partially covered the pot and let them slowly simmer and scent my kitchen for 40 minutes.  Then I shut off the burner and just left them another half hour. *Put them into a cold water bath, changing the water, to keep it cold, until they're a touchable temperature.  Then just cut off the ends and any bad spots before you cube, slice or julienne them.  They looked pretty rough before cooking, but they hydrated well during the simmer and didn't need to be peeled. (don't attempt any of this if you have plans to go to a fancy social event, unless you're okay with ruby-colored stained hands.)  If you find some really good whole beets with healthy tops, simmer those and the stems like you would cook spinach.  Ohhh, so good!

* The cooking liquid can be mixed with any beet scraps and your dog's food.  This is a healthy vegetable for dogs.  It can also be used in a dark soup or stew as a vegetable broth.  You can also just drink a big steamy mug of it, instead of coffee or tea.  It's good to remember that the beet color will go right through you a day or so after eating more than a tiny amount of beets, so you may get a bit of a shock when going to the bathroom 😲

I'm thinking I may freeze some of these, but I also want to use some now.  They can just be heated with a little butter, salt and pepper added before serving.

They're also great in a salad with chopped romaine, onion, glazed pecans, dried cherries, craisins, or mandarin orange segments, and crumbles of feta cheese.

That can be dressed with a mix of extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper and a good-syrupy dark balsamic dressing, or your favorite poppy seed dressing.


I also have a quick bread recipe that I've made many different ways.  Using bananas, zucchini as well as canned pumpkin.  Now I'm thinking I might 'process' some of these and make Beet Bread!

Mmmmm Beets!!

Be Bold. . .Be Creative. . .Happy Cooking! . . Lin

2018 Summer Gazpacho

The first time I ever had Gazpacho was in a Spanish restaurant, south of Madison, Wisconsin called La Paella, which has since closed.  We had ordered only wine and several different tapas, one of which being the Gazpacho.  The other gal I was dining with as well as our husbands, tried it, pushed it to center of the table and declared it to be "bad" gazpacho.  Well, naturally, I had to try it, and just loved it!  I finished every bit and practically licked the bowl!  Afterward, I asked to speak to the Chef who had made it.  He would not give me the recipe, but verified each ingredient I guessed, and finally set me straight on all those I hadn't mentioned, but wouldn't give me amounts.  I went home and was able to recreate the recipe almost perfectly!  Mmmmm-Gazpacho-Awesomeness!  Sadly, I either wrote it down and lost it, or never took the time to write it down.  A year later, toward the end of summer, I had ingredients, but no recipe.  I made something good, but not like my La Paella experience.  This continued to experiment and try my hand at this for several years.  Then. . . as fate would have it. . .I was in Madison, many years later, while working for our local police department, for a 3 day seminar.  After the final lecture, which ended way early, I decided to drive back to La Paella and get a big container of that great Gazpacho.  They sold me a HUGE plastic container of it. . .possibly a 1 gallon ice cream bucket, or even larger.  I couldn't WAIT to get home and have some.  Sadly, it was just awful.  WAY too much oil and salt and the flavor was way off.  I couldn't taste the carrot, and I've since determined the carrot is what really sets it apart from other Gazpachos.  Since then, I'm always on the path to create The Perfect Gazpacho!  It's an OCD Quest I'm afraid!  This is my 2018 Summer Harvest Version. . .

6 pickling cucumbers

2 med. garlic cloves

1 lg. purple shallot

½ lg. green pepper

⅓ stalk of celery

1 sm.-med. beet*

3 ripe tomatoes

2 big carrots

2t garlic salt

2t black pepper

½c Tuscan olive oil

3T white balsamic vinegar

tomato juice if needed to thin while blending

Ohh, so interesting!  This turned out well, but nothing like the La Paella version.  I like it, but it wouldn't be everyone's favorite, since the beet really dominated.

*The beet is optional, it's flavor is very aggressive, and without it, the color of the soup would be more green and orange.  I used my blender this time, and it's the consistency of baby food.  I didn't need any of the tomato juice.  If you use a food processor, it'll be chunkier.

Today I had it, as shown, with a squeeze of a sour cream sauce I made.  Sour cream with a little half and half to thin it, then seasoned with fresh ground black pepper, garlic salt, dill - then shake like crazy in a plastic squeeze bottle.  The kind used for catsup and mustard at hot dog stands.  Well. . .stay tuned and do a 'search' here for Gazpacho in a couple weeks, I have another idea for a simpler one, if I can find the right cucumbers! . . . Lin

Carrot-Beet-Walnut-Kale Salad

Today is Sunday. . .

This is the kale I bought at the Duluth Farmer's Market on Wednesday!  I've recut the ends a couple times and given it new, cold water in a 'vase' but I have to say, I'm so impressed with the cleanliness and quality of the vegetables I've bought there.  In times past, this kale would be browning and wilting a couple days after I bought it.  This is still fresh and amazing.  Worthy of a fine, creative recipe!  And I still have a half a bunch left to create a Chicken Corn Potato Chowder with Kale in the next couple days. . .Stay tuned!

I pulled the leaves off the stem of the kale, discarded the stems, then finely sliced the leaves and washed in my salad spinner.  Next I sprinkled them well with salt and massaged it into the leaf strips, supposedly breaking down the fibers a bit.  I rinsed that well, getting off all the salt.  Put the washed, rinsed, salted, massaged, rinsed and spun-dry kale in a large bowl.  


To that add:

2 med. carrots - scrubbed and grated

1 lg. red beet - scrubbed and grated

⅔c chopped walnuts - chopped finer than shown

1-2 lg. cloves fresh garlic - finely minced

½ med.-lg. purple onion - sliced thin

3-4oz. Mizkan Sesame Dressing

Toss this all together.  The other dressing shown was not used.  The 3-4oz. of Sesame Dressing was all that was needed for a great, light dressing for this whole big bowl.  I scooped out a smaller bowl of this and added feta cheese, a little fresh ground garlic sea salt and black pepper. . .Oh, this is sooo good!!  Also one of the healthiest salad options ever!  This will keep, covered in the 'fridge, for several days.  Just toss and serve. . . Lin 

Red, Green and Purple Steamed Vegetables

½ lg. head green cabbage

½ med. head purple cabbage

1 red beet - scrub-don't peel

1 scarlet turnip - scrub-don't peel

1c water

1t of each of the spices shown

1t fresh ground garlic sea salt

1 bunch beet greens-(slice) + stems-(chop)

½ med. yellow onion - chopped

⅓ lg. red bell pepper - sliced

2-3t spicy coriander (cilantro) chutney

3-4T basil pesto

⅓ bunch fresh cilantro - leaves + stems - chopped

Cube the cabbage into 1" pieces.  Slice, chop the beet and turnip.  If you use turnip of any kind, slice-chop small, mine didn't cook quite enough and were chewy.  Rinse the chopped beet in a strainer.  This will minimize the amount of discoloration of the lighter vegetables.  Add water and seasonings, cover and steam (once you hear the water boiling) for 15 minutes.  Add the next group of ingredients and a little more water if needed, when this begins to steam again, continue steaming for another 15 minutes.

Sprinkle on the cilantro, cover and remove from the heat for 10 minutes.  Stir and serve.  This is a really healthy vegetable dish.  Mmmm have I mentioned How Much I Love Vegetables!!  This would be perfect by itself, with maybe a sprinkle of panko breadcrumbs and grated hard cheese.  It would also be good with grilled steak, chicken or fish. (or, with leftover ahi tuna meatloaf 😋). . .Lin

Salad With Beets And Beans

Lettuce Mix:

1 romaine heart

4oz. fresh spinach

½ med. sweet onion

½ sm. head of radicchio

I always have a fresh lettuce mix made up in my 'fridge.  In doing this, I can grab a handful, add a few other ingredients and make a salad in no time at all.  This is my current one.  To a big bowl of this, for a hearty salad tonight, I've added:

½ sm. golden beet scrubbed-grated

½ can black beans rinsed-drained

½ avocado slice-chopped

1 sm. Roma tomato

I tossed this then topped it with a dressing I made last week, using orange zest, raspberry balsamic vinegar, olive oil, fresh ground black pepper and ground garlic sea salt.  I got busy and never blogged this recipe.

If you like crumbled bacon, you could use that, cashews, hard boiled egg, Italian parsley, chopped cucumber, cilantro, artichoke hearts, red olives. . .So many possibilities!  Be Creative . . . Lin  

Root Vegetable Casserole

2 golden beets

1 sweet potato

1 red potato

1 lg. turnip

¾ lg. onion

½ green cabbage

¼c butter

garlic sea salt

ground black pepper

4-5 lg. cloves garlic

Scrub all the vegetables but don't peel.  Just cut away any bad spots.  Using a spiralizer on only the root vegetables, slicing them however you like, using the ribbon or spaghetti blades.  Slice or chop the onion and cabbage, with a sharp knife.  Arrange in a medium black roasting pan.

Grate or finely mince the garlic and combine with the last group of ingredients in a small pan.  Heat and stir, just until the butter melts.  Pour over the vegetables, toss around a little to coat, then bake about a half hour at 350° checking frequently after 20 minutes so they don't overbake.  Transfer to a pretty serving dish if you want.  This would go great with roasted chicken, grilled fish or meatloaf. . .Lin

Summertime Root Vegetable Soup

1 lg. onion

1 lg. purple shallot

1 yellow pepper

2T butter or coconut oil

1 lg. carrot

1 lg. sweet potato

1 red beet and greens

3 radishes

4-6c water

1-2T chicken soup base

2t curry powder

½-1t ground black pepper

Mince part of the onion and shallot.  Combine with the chopped yellow pepper and butter or coconut oil and sauté over med.-high heat for about 10 minutes, stirring so it doesn't stick and burn.  Meanwhile, slice or chop the remaining vegetables however you'd like them.  Add to the pot along with the water, soup base, curry powder and pepper.  Simmer only until the beet and carrot pieces are done the way you like.  At this point you could add a can of coconut milk if you'd like, for the flavor.  You could also blend it!  It's 81° here with high humidity. . .and I'm making soup 😃 I'm a Hard Core Soupie!!  I love it all year 'round.  Hope you do too.  Be Bold. . .Be Creative!!  Happy Cooking 😉. . . Lin

Oranges and Fennel and Beets - Oh My! (salad)

1 romaine heart*

2 medium golden beets - scrubbed

1 sm.-med. turnip - peeled

~1 lemon or lime - zest and juice

~2T sugar or honey

~3T rosemary olive oil

~1t garlic salt

~½t+ finely ground pepper

~½c craisins

~¼c chopped pecans

~¼c slivered almonds

2 CaraCara oranges

1 lg. fennel bulb

2-4 green onions

several sprigs of fresh parsley

Quarter romaine lengthwise, then wash, spin and dry it in your salad spinner.* <—my favorite!  Transfer it to  a large salad bowl  Using either great knife skills, 😉either julienne slice the beets and turnips - or - crank them through a spiralizer.* <—This will take you to a Paderno Spiralizer demo video.)  Put immediately in with the lettuce.  Combine the next 8 ingredients in a small bowl and microwave 30 seconds.  Whisk, then pour over the ingredients in the salad bowl.  Toss well to distribute everything evenly and coat the whole salad with dressing.

Peel the oranges, then cut into quarters, then segments.  Cut the top and bottom off the fennel, then thin-slice or spiralize across the grain.  Slice onions and break up parsley.  Add all this to the bowl, toss gently, but enough to coat and mix all the components.  This makes a lot!  4 big servings.  *If there will be leftovers romaine is best.  If you're going to finish this soon after composing, and would rather, you could use baby spinach.  Feta cheese could also be crumbled over each serving. . .Lin

Apple-Beet-Butternut Squash Soup

1 lg. red beet

1 sm.-med. butternut squash

1/2 purple onion - chopped

5 lg. garlic cloves - crushed-halved

3T butter

2 med. apples - - optional

1/2t pumpkin pie spice

1/2t ground black pepper

1-2t garlic sea salt

2-3T organic honey

3-4c water

Peel and chop the beet and squash, into a 5qt. pot.  Add the onion, garlic, butter and scrubbed-chopped apples if you're using them.  Simmer these ingredients over medium heat, stirring often, for approximately a half hour.  Stir in the seasonings and honey, add a little of the water, if needed, to keep everything from sticking.  

Simmer, covered, for another 20 minutes or so.  Cool, then puree in the blender, adding the rest of the water, a little at a time, as needed.  Return everything to the pot again, and bring to a low bubble.  Simmer for another 15 minutes or so.  At this point you could add a cup of sour cream, stirring just enough to blend with the other ingredients.  Heat carefully, to just steaming.  Serve with crusty bread.  If you didn't put sour cream into the soup, a little now would be nice on top of each bowl.  Sprinkle with slivered almonds or roasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds. . .Lin

Roasted Root Vegetables

3 sm.-med. red beets

2 med.-lg. sweet potatoes

2 med. red potatoes

1 med. Vidalia onion

5 lg. cloves garlic

fresh ground garlic salt

fresh ground pepper

*3-4T butter

Scrub vegetables and remove any odd spots.  Slice the red potatoes and sweet potatoes a little bigger than the beets, since they'll cook faster.  Combine with chopped onion, crushed-sliced garlic, seasonings and *butter in a large casserole dish.  Cover and bake at 400° for 15 minutes.  Take out of the oven, turn vegetables over with a large wooden spoon to coat with the melted butter and seasonings.


You could add 3/4c cashews, sunflower seeds, slivered or smoked almonds now for extra protein if you'd like this to be a vegetarian main dish.  *Swap out the butter for extra-virgin olive oil, to make it vegan.  Return to the oven, uncovered, for another 10 minutes or so, until everything is cooked the way you like it.  This is great for breakfast, lunch or dinner, by itself, or as a side dish to meatloaf, grilled chicken, fish or steaks.  .  .Lin 

Beet and Feta Salad

A handful of sliced Romaine lettuce

a little shredded green or red cabbage

sliced onion

sliced or chopped canned beets

shredded carrot

sliced radishes

roasted, salted sunflower seeds

crumbled feta cheese

Combine everything in a big bowl.  Drizzle with a good Raspberry Balsamic vinaigrette.  Toss and serve. . .Lin

Beet and Blue Cheese Salad

crunchy lettuce – not leafy

sliced onion

pickled beets

blue cheese crumbles

Raspberry Vinaigrette dressing

Chop the lettuce into individual bowls. Add onion, rinsed, heated and drained beets. Top with blue cheese and splash on some dressing. Candied pecans would be a good addition. . .Lin 

Warm Beet Salad

1 c pecan pieces
1 sm. head butter lettuce (Boston lettuce)
4 med. beets
1 sm. sweet onion - sliced
4 oz Chevre' goat cheese

In a 2 qt. pot, quickly dry-toast pecans, shaking-stirring 3-5 minutes over med. heat. Pour into a small bowl. Put beets in the pan and cover with water. Boil, then simmer until done - when a fork inserted pulls out easily - about 20 minutes. Drain and fill with cold water. Cool - just a little. Rub and slip the skins off. Rough chop.

Cut lettuce into flat chunks and place on 4 salad plates. Arrange warm beets on lettuce. Top with sliced onions, pecans and cheese - crumbled over all. Drizzle with Kraft Light Raspberry Vinaigrette dressing. . .Lin

Be aware that beets are VERY colorful with lots of betacarotine, and this color is not lost as it passes through our systems. Anything that comes out red-purple, a few days after ingesting beets, is quite normal 😜