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Is there anything more show-stopping than creamy beet soup?
Photo by LA Food Photography
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Especially when combined with maca, beets bring a sweet, earthy flavor to soups.
Photo by GettyImages/kaanates
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Earthy maca is revered as an adaptogen.
Photo by Adobe Stock/vainillaychile
1 hr 45 min COOK TIME
6 cups SERVINGS
Ingredients
- 1 pound beets (about 3 to 4 medium-sized), trimmed and scrubbed
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon maca powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 cups water
- One 14-ounce can coconut milk, divided
- 2 teaspoons dulse flakes
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Ground sumac and beet sprouts, for garnish (optional)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Wrap beets individually in foil and place on baking sheet. (Or use a covered baker.) Roast 60 to 90 minutes, or until soft. Remove beets and set aside until cool enough to handle. Peel away and discard (or eat) the skins. Dice peeled beets and set aside.
- Warm oil in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and lightly toast until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add garlic and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add maca, turmeric, chili powder, salt and water. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in 1-1/2 cups coconut milk and simmer 1 minute, until warm.
- Transfer soup to blender, and add dulse flakes and lemon juice. Purée until smooth — be sure to blend thoroughly for silky texture. Serve warm, drizzled with remaining coconut milk, a sprinkle of sumac and beet sprouts for garnish.For more healthful soup recipes, see: Superfoods and Soups.
Look at that color: Is there anything more show-stopping than a creamy beet 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 another level. Though it may be tempting to use reduced-fat canned coconut milk, I don’t recommend it here: Your soup will be much more balanced with a full-fat selection, and some fats, like coconut, are part of a well-balanced diet.
Feel-Good Fact: Maca is revered as an adaptogen — a food that helps your body balance stress levels, hormones, sex drive and overall energy. The red seaweed known as dulse offers strong antiviral benefits and an excellent supply of trace minerals.
