Borscht - dedicated to Nita

Who doesn't love borscht? Each time someone in our office pulls out a bowl full of the hearty ruby soup ohs and ahs erupt as if a puppy had been pulled out fresh from the fridge. While I don't necessarily condone chilling your puppy, I do condone a healthy bit of office envy during lunch time, I'm a bit of a jerk like that. I've listed my own recipe that I've been using to promote office envy for the past 10 years.
Meat free too,  you can load up on our vitamin (S)mug.
This should take you about 30 mins start to finish, don't over cook it - flavour will develop once your borscht takes a fridge nap overnight.
1 onions
3 carrots
3 stalks of celery
2- 3 cloves of garlic
3 large potatoes
3 large beets
1 large 900ish mls tin of tomatoes
1 liter of low sodium veggie broth
2 cups chopped kale or red cabbage
1/2 TBSP oregano
1 bay leaf
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 TBSP dried dill or a handful of fresh dill frowns.
vinegar to taste -
cracked pepper
topped with sour cream

5 mins     Heat a sturdy pot and sautee onions, celery
                        and carrots.
3 mins     Add garlic for a short warming
1  min      add the tin of tomatoes and broth
1 min       crank the heat up and toss in the cubed
                    potatoes and beets
1 min       add spices EXCEPT vinegar, dill and pepper
10 mins   clamp the lid on and boil the whole mess until
                     the potatoes
                    and beets are nearly tender
5 mins       add the chopped kale or cabbage and
                       cook until tender
TOTAL: 26 mins
5 mins
Remove 3/4 of the cooked veggies and using an emersion blender blend it up to baby food consistency.
Return the blended veggies to the pot
To finish add vinegar, dill and pepper to taste
GRAND TOTAL: 31 mins

Serve with heavy bread and consider trying it with a Tripel style beer...you can be sure to make coworkers envious if you pull a beer out at lunch.

When drama and cuteness met April 2008

Dedicated to Nita, who makes ever Monday a great day to go into work. She keeps my ship steady, taught me the importance of details and supported me through all the own puppy problems. Your the best!