By Irene Hayton

If possible, buy beets with the leaves attached and add the leaves to this soup to increase its nutritional value. To save time, use a food processor (if you have one) to grate the beets, carrot, potato, and cabbage, but grate the onion by hand—it tends to liquefy if you use the food processor to grate it. For more information on the nutritional benefits of beets and beet greens, see the April 2004 Health Tip.

• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) butter or coconut oil
• 2 beets, peeled and grated
• 1 carrot, peeled and grated
• 1 large potato, peeled and grated
• ¼ small head of cabbage, grated
• 1 small onion, peeled and grated
• 6 cups (1.5 l) chicken or vegetable broth
• beet leaves, chopped (optional)
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) unprocessed sea salt
• chopped fresh dill (optional)

Heat a large saucepan over medium-low heat and melt the butter or coconut oil Add the beets, carrot, potato, cabbage, and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Add small amounts of the broth if needed to prevent sticking.

Add the chicken or vegetable broth, beet leaves, apple cider vinegar, and sea salt and stir well. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Serve with chopped fresh dill and more sea salt, if desired. Makes approximately 7 cups.

Variation: Creamy Borscht

For a tastier version of this soup, add 2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 45 ml) of Yogurt Cheese to each bowl of soup and stir well. To make Yogurt Cheese, place plain yogurt in a sieve lined with a clean tea towel or with about 4 layers of cheesecloth; place the sieve over a bowl. Wrap the tea towel or cheesecloth around the yogurt and give it a slight squeeze. Put a light weight (such as a bag of rice or beans) on top, cover with a plate and leave to drain in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 hours.