As a kid, there were three foods that I feared and reviled above all others: asparagus, broccoli (that cheese sauce didn’t fool me), and borscht. Even the name borscht sounded like something dusty in my grandparents’ basement. So when my friend placed a steaming bowl of cabbage and beets before me, I was more than dubious. But now, I’m an adult (supposedly), and adults are supposed to try things before proclaiming eternal loathing for what’s in their soup bowl. After glaring at my soup for a good six minutes (“I’m waiting for it to cool down a little,” I insisted), I conceded that my soup was winning the staring contest. So I sighed a deep sigh, picked up my spoon, and tried it. And it was good.

Not only is borscht tasty, but it’s budget-friendly and packs a nutritional wallop. Beets cleanse the liver, intestines and stomach, and help digestion. And the bright fuchsia pigment in beets that turns the entire soup red, called betalain, reduces inflammation and detoxifies the body. (Thanks for nutrition tips, My New Roots!) This borscht is a simplified, vegetarian version of the traditional, time-intensive Russian soup with beef stock. It’s easy to throw together on a weeknight, and it will make enough soup to last you all week.

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borscht

adapted from Healthy Cooking for Two (Or Just You)

3 cups water
8 oz. tomato sauce (no added herbs or whatnot)
1 cup thinly sliced new potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup peeled, thinly sliced carrots
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup diced celery
1 t caraway seeds
1 t dried dill
2 cups finely sliced or shredded cabbage
16 oz. canned sliced beets with their juice (or two peeled, sliced and boiled beets with 1 -2 cups of their broth)
1 T brown sugar or honey
2 T cider vinegar or red wine vinegar
sour cream, to serve (optional)

In a large pot, combine the water, tomato sauce, potatoes, carrots, onions, celery, caraway seeds and dill. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and cook for 30 minutes. Go call your best friend or watch an episode of The Office.

To the pot, throw in the cabbage, beets (with their juice), sugar/honey and vinegar. Bring the soup to a boil again, then lower the heat and simmer for another 30 minutes, until the veggies are tender. Serve the soup piping hot with a dollop of sour cream and a thick slice of rye bread. Tell your Ukranian bubbe about what a great job you did.