'Tis the season …. soup season, that is! It's true: the moment the first leaf begins to change color, we're pretty much game-on for soups at any time of the day or night. (Actually, we're making soups all year round, albeit the variety is much lighter during the warmer months.)
In fact, it's probably pretty obvious we're fully hooked on soups around here: between our popular Immunity-Boosting Soups course which offers delicious methods to maintaining peak health ... along with my soup-centric cookbook, Superfood Soups, with 100 amazing recipes ... we love talking soup!
To share the love, here's a vibrant recipe straight from the Superfood Soups cookbook: a Cumin-Beet Soup. This recipe takes advantage of beets being in the height of their harvest right now (in other words, now's the time to enjoy their maximum sweetness and flavor), as well as incorporating some warming spices that hint of the cozy months ahead.
Cumin-Beet Soup
Look at that color: is there anything more show-stopping than a creamy beet-root soup? Here, maca (another superfood root) lends an additional layer of sweet, earthy flavor, while a pinch of cumin and chili powder take this beautiful soup to an even higher level of delicious. Though it may be tempting to use reduced-fat canned coconut milk, I don’t recommend using it here: your soup will be much more balanced with a full-fat selection.
Reprinted with permission from Superfood Soups © 2016 by Julie Morris, Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. Photography by Oliver Barth
Makes 6 cups / 4 Servings
1 lb beets (about 3–4 medium), trimmed and scrubbed
1 tablespoon coconut oil
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 tablespoon maca powder
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 cups water
1 13.5 oz can coconut milk, divided
2 teaspoons dulse flakes
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Ground sumac, for garnish (optional)
Beet sprouts, for garnish (optional)
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Wrap the beets individually in aluminum foil, and place them on a baking sheet. Roast the beets for 60–90 minutes, or until they’re very soft. Remove the beets from the oven and let them sit until they are cool enough to handle. Peel away and discard the beet skins, and chop the beets into dice. Set aside.
Warm the coconut oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and lightly toast until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3–4 minutes. Add the maca, turmeric, chili powder, salt, and water. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in 1 ½ cups coconut milk and simmer for 1 minute to warm. Transfer the soup to a blender, and add the diced beets, dulse flakes, and lemon juice. Puree until smooth—be sure to blend very thoroughly for an evenly silky texture. Serve warm, drizzled with remaining coconut milk, a sprinkle of sumac, and beet sprouts for garnish.
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