Ingredients
1 Tbsp Olive oil
1 Large Onion, diced small
3 cloves crushed garlic
1 Bay leaf
2 medium sized beets
2 heaping tbsps dried dill or 1 small bundle of fresh dill
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
2 Lg. stalks of celery (chopped)
2 cups cabbage (chopped in 1 in. squares)
2 large carrots (sliced about 1/2 cm thick)
1 can (no salt added) diced tomatoes
1 stalk of kale (chopped in 1 in. pieces)
6 cups water
2 tbsps vinegar (white works best... unless you like sweet soups, in which case apple cider or red wine vinegar work well)
Method
In a medium sized sauce pan, boil peeled beets whole in 2 cups of water.
In a separate large pot (on high) heat oil and add onions and garlic. As onions and garlic cook a brown glaze will develop on the bottom of your pan, this is your stock.
Add bay leaf, dill, ground pepper and celery.
Slowly add 1 cup of water. If you pot is still scorching hot this will quickly pull up the glaze from the bottom of the pan and voila, you have stock!
Now add the remaining 3 cups water, carrots, cabbage.
As this cooks, remove beets from water in separate pot, the beet water will be a dark magenta color and full of fantastic heart healthy nutrients... pour it directly into the large pot. The beets will now be much easier to chop. Dice into 1 inch squares. I usually wear latex gloves when handling beets now... it's easier than explaining the "blood" on your hands :P
Add chopped beets, kale, vinegar and can of no salt added diced tomatoes
Feel free to play with this recipe, and make it to suit your own tastes... I just find that this combination has fantastic flavor and texture and carries in it all the recommended characters of heart healthy foods!
ENJOY.
