Borscht Soup with a Difference Is Delicious

Borscht soup is the best way to get healthy superfood beets filled with beta-carotene and minerals into our diet. It is quick to cook, easy to vary, and enjoyed by everyone, even children.

This is a traditional soup in Ukraine; many people from that country landed in my home city of Edmonton.
This is my vegan version with just a few adjustments to the ingredient list.

Borscht Ingredients

Of course, the most important ingredient in this borscht is the beets. There is one ingredient that makes this borscht special; that is fresh dill and lots of it.  I garnish the soup with fresh dill at the end. The taste of sweet beets and dill is so delightful.

A single serving of beets can boost your energy and lower your blood pressure.  Eating beets long term can help fight cancer, reduce arthritic pain, lose weight and assist in a number of other health areas.

Many people don’t like beets or consider it a special occasion dish but we think this superfood should be on your plate every day.

These vegetables are all from my gardens or given to me from friends’ gardens, except for the dill that came from the farmer’s market.

WHO recognizes that Onions help relieve symptoms such as coughs, congestion asthma, and respiratory infections. Onions are full of protective phytonutrients, vitamins, trace minerals, quercetin (an important flavonoid), chromium, and unique anti-inflammatory nutrients.

Carrots add some soft crunch to this borscht.  This orange crunchy superfood, you get Vitamin A and a host of other powerful health benefits including beautiful skin, cancer prevention, and anti-aging.

A must in borscht is cabbage and look at how good it is for you. Eat cabbage if you want the health benefits of beautiful glowing skin, and an immune system powerful enough to fight off just about anything, don’t forget this highly nutritious but common vegetable.

I love Zucchini; it is one of my favourite vegetables. It is sweet, easy and quick to cook and they are antioxidant-rich and low in calories.

Green beans are full of so many health benefits. They are a tasty vegetable to this borscht. Many of us grow them in our garden so we can eat them fresh in the summer. The really good news is that this superfood has health benefits from helping lose weight to preventing the spread of HIV to lowering the risk of cancer.

The red of tomatoes is what makes them full of health benefits, even when you are enjoying them as a refreshing juice or tomato sauce. Tomatoes are fat burning, help prevent cancer and are a heart-healthy food. 

To get the most health benefits from Garlic, let it sit for a minimum of 5 minutes, after cutting and before eating or cooking.  Waiting for 5 – 10 minutes allows the health-promoting allicin to form.  If you do not let it sit, allicin is never formed, so it is worth the wait.

Kevala’s sesame oil is made with the finest organic sesame seeds. These are carefully selected and cold-pressed to obtain a premium oil.

We need a little lemon juice in this borscht to add a soft zing. Lemons’ health benefits are immense.  To begin they are acidic to the taste but are alkaline-forming in the body. In fact, they are one of the most alkaline-forming superfoods; this makes them great for balancing a highly acidic condition in the body. Also, they are full of many health benefits.

Dill is an important herb to add to this borscht soup.  A sprig of delicious dill adds a unique flavor to your food making it extra tasty. Dill’s name comes from the Norwegian word ‘dilla,’ meaning to soothe. It has been valued for its many health benefits as early as 1500 B.C. In ancient Egyptian papyrus manuscripts, it was documented as a remedy to soothe flatulence, relieve pain and act as a laxative and a diuretic.

Himalayan Salt is actually good for you! 100% NATURAL PINK & CERTIFIED: Sherpa Pink Himalayan Salt is is Kosher Certified, Non-GMO, and does not contain any MSG, Soy, Gluten, Dairy, or anti-caking agents.

As I don’t use sugar for my baking I often use stevia which is a healthy option.  The stevia plant is incredibly sweet and also incredibly good for you.  The leaf is 30 times sweeter than sugar while extracts are 300-400 times sweeter.  The best stevia will, therefore, be the one that retains some whole food value and is water-based.  Liquid forms will be less processed.  Go here to learn How to Get the Best Stevia Without the Bitterness.

“Everything I do, I do on the principle of Russian borscht.
You can throw everything into it beets, carrots, cabbage, onions, everything you want.
What’s important is the result, the taste of the borscht.”
~ Yevgeny Yevtushenko, Russian poet

The complete written recipe with ingredients and directions is below.

Cut the beets into bite-size chunks.

• In a stockpot over medium heat, heat the oil.
• Sauté the onion until it is translucent.
• Add beets and water.
• Bring to a boil then lower heat and simmer covered for 10 minutes.

Add the carrots and cabbage, cook for another 10 minutes.

Add zucchini, beans, and garlic, cook for another 10 minutes.

Add corn and tomatoes, cook for another 10 minutes.